Louisiana's 2nd congressional district

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Louisiana's 2nd congressional district
Population (2000) 638,562
Median income $25,514
Ethnic composition 30.2% White, 64.1% Black, 2.7% Asian, 3.8% Hispanic, 0.3% Native American, 0.2% other
Cook PVI D+28

Louisiana's 2nd congressional district contains nearly all of the city of New Orleans (a small portion being located in the neighboring 1st District), and some of its suburbs, including the West Bank portion of Jefferson Parish and South Kenner. The seat is currently held by William J. Jefferson, a Democrat.

Contents

[edit] History

Louisiana gained its second district in 1823 as part of the 18th United States Congress. It is one of the safest Democratic seats in the country; the Republicans have not held this seat in over 100 years. Like most Congressional seats in the South, this district consistently voted Democratic from the time of Reconstruction until the 1960s. Since then, its position as a consistently Democratic seat is mostly due to it being one of the "Majority-Minority" districts created as a result of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, to ensure minority voters have an equal opportunity to elect representatives in Congress and to guard against racially-motivated gerrymandering.

[edit] Recent election results

[edit] 2000

Main article: United States House of Representatives elections, 2000
Party Candidate Votes  %
  Democratic Party William J. Jefferson unopposed

[edit] 2002

Main article: United States House of Representatives elections, 2002
Party Candidate Votes  %
  Democratic Party William J. Jefferson 90,310 64
  Democratic Party Irma Muse Dixon 28,480 20
  Republican Party Silky Sullivan 15,440 11
  Democratic Party Clarence Hunt 4,137 3
  Independent Wayne E. Clement 3,789 3

[edit] 2004

Main article: United States House of Representatives elections, 2004
Party Candidate Votes  %
  Democratic Party William J. Jefferson 173,510 79
  Republican Party Art Schwertz 46,097 21

[edit] 2006

Main article: United States House of Representatives elections, 2006
Party Candidate Votes  % Run-off Votes* Run-off %*
  Democratic William J. Jefferson* 28,283 30% 51%
  Democratic Karen Carter* 20,364 22% 49%
  Democratic Derrick Shepherd 16,799 18%
  Republican Joe Lavigne 12,511 13%
  Democratic Troy Carter 11,304 12%
  Republican Eric Bradley 1,159 1%
  Democratic Regina Bartholomew 1,125 1%
  Democratic John Edwards 675 1%
  Democratic Scott Barron 621 1%
  Libertarian Gregory Kahn 404 1%
  Democratic Vinny Mendoza 402 0%
  Republican Lance von Uhde 258 0%
  Democratic Deven Collins 121 0%

*Jefferson and Carter advanced to run-off on December 9, with Jefferson winning reelection.

[edit] Representatives

Representative Party Term District home Notes
Henry Hosford Gurley Anti-Jacksonian 1823-1831 District created in 1823
Philemon Thomas Democratic 1831-1835
Eleazer Wheelock Ripley Jacksonian Democrat 1835-1839
Thomas Withers Chinn Whig 1839-1841
John Bennett Dawson Democratic 1841-1843
Alcée Louis la Branche Democratic 1843-1845
Bannon Goforth Thibodeaux Democratic 1845-1849
Charles Magill Conrad Whig 1849-1850 Resigned to become United States Secretary of War
Vacant 1850
Henry Adams Bullard Whig 1850-1851
Joseph Aristide Landry Whig 1851-1853
Theodore Gaillard Hunt Whig 1853-1855
Miles Taylor Democratic 1855-1861
Louisiana under occupation - Civil War 1861-1876
James Mann Democratic 1867-1869
Lionel Allen Sheldon Republican 1869-1875
Ezekiel John Ellis Democratic 1875-1885
Michael Hahn Unionist 1885-1886 Died
Vacant 1886
Nathaniel Dick Wallace Democratic 1886-1887
Matthew Diamond Lagan Democratic 1887-1889
Hamilton D. Coleman Republican 1889-1891
Matthew Diamond Lagan Democratic 1891-1893
Robert Charles Davey Democratic 1893-1895
Charles Francis Buck Democratic 1895-1897
Robert Charles Davey Democratic 1897-1908 Died
Vacant 1908-1909
Samuel Louis Gilmore Democratic 1909-1910 Died
Vacant 1910-1910
Henry Garland Dupré Democratic 1910-1924 Died
Vacant 1924-1924
James Zacharie Spearing Democratic 1924-1931
Paul H. Maloney Democratic 1931-1941 Resigned
Vacant 1941-1941
Hale Boggs Democratic 1941-1943-01-03 Lost re-nomination
Paul H. Maloney Democratic 1943-01-03-1947-01-03
Hale Boggs Democratic 1947-01-03-October 16, 1972 Died
Vacant 1972-10-16-1973-03-20
Corinne C. Boggs Democratic 1973-03-20-1991-01-03 Retired
William J. Jefferson Democratic 1991-01-03-present New Orleans Incumbent

[edit] References

v • d • e
Louisiana's congressional districts
Territory At-large 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
The At-large and 8th districts are obsolete.
See also: Louisiana's past & present Representatives, Senators, and Delegations
All U.S. districts – Apportionment – Redistricting – Gerrymandering – Maps