Louisiana's 2nd congressional district
Louisiana's 2nd congressional district contains nearly all of the city of New Orleans and stretches west and north to Baton Rouge.
Louisiana's 2nd congressional district | |||
---|---|---|---|
Louisiana's 2nd congressional district – since January 3, 2013. | |||
Representative |
| ||
Distribution |
| ||
Population (2016) | 792,390[2] | ||
Median income | $37,340[2] | ||
Ethnicity |
| ||
Cook PVI | D+25[3] |
The district is currently represented by Democrat Cedric Richmond.
History
Louisiana gained the 2nd congressional district in 1823 as part of the 18th United States Congress. At first it comprised New Orleans and significant populations from surrounding areas. With the growth of population in the urban area, the current district is located mostly within the city of New Orleans.
Since the late 19th century, this has been historically among the most safely Democratic seats in the country, for sharply opposing reasons. During Reconstruction, most African Americans affiliated with the Republican Party and, as a majority, elected Republicans from this district.
White Democrats regained control of the district in 1891, when voter suppression of Republicans was rampant. They kept the seat through much of the 1960s, largely because of disenfranchising blacks. In 1898 the Democratic-dominated state legislature had disenfranchised most blacks in the state through provisions of a new state constitution that raised barriers to voter registration, such as poll taxes and subjective literacy tests. The Democrats had maintained the political exclusion of blacks for decades. Like most congressional districts in the South, this district consistently voted Democratic from the late 19th century until the late 1960s, because the voters during that time were nearly all white Democrats. Such Democrats created what was known as the Solid South in Congress, exercising power beyond their proportion of the electorate. Throughout this period, New Orleans had a significant proportion of African Americans as residents, but they were utterly excluded from the political system.
In 2008, after a federal grand jury indicted incumbent congressman Jefferson on sixteen felony charges related to corruption the year prior, Joseph Cao was elected as the first Republican to represent the 2nd congressional district and most of New Orleans in more than a century. (Since the late 20th century, many white conservatives had shifted into the Republican Party). Cao was the first Vietnamese-American U.S. Representative elected in the country. He was the only Republican in the 111th Congress to represent a district with a predominantly African-American population.
For most of the period from 1983 to 2013, this district contained nearly all of the city of New Orleans (except for a small portion is located in the neighboring 1st congressional district), and some of its suburbs. From 2003 to 2013, the legislature defined it as including the West Bank portion of Jefferson Parish and South Kenner, which have a higher proportion of white residents.[4] After the 2010 census, the state legislature redefined it to encompass territory slightly to the west, and pick up a portion of Baton Rouge.
Recent presidential elections
Election results from presidential races | ||
---|---|---|
Year | Office | Results |
2000 | President | Gore 76 - 22% |
2004 | President | Kerry 75 - 24% |
2008 | President | Obama 74 - 25% |
2012 | President | Obama 76 - 23% |
2016 | President | Clinton 75 - 22% |
List of members representing the district
Member | Party | Term | Cong ress |
Electoral history | Location |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
District created | March 4, 1823 | ||||
Henry Hosford Gurley | Adams-Clay Democratic-Republican | March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825 |
18th 19th 20th 21st |
Elected in 1822. Re-elected in 1824. Re-elected in 1826. [data unknown/missing] |
1823–1833 East Baton Rouge, Feliciana, Iberville, West Baton Rouge, Pointe Coupee, Saint Helena, Saint Tammany, and Washington parishes |
Anti-Jacksonian | March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1831 | ||||
Philemon Thomas |
Jacksonian | March 4, 1831 – March 3, 1835 |
22nd 23rd |
[data unknown/missing] | |
1833–1843 [data unknown/missing] | |||||
Eleazer Wheelock Ripley |
Jacksonian | March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1837 |
24th 25th |
[data unknown/missing] | |
Democratic | March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1839 | ||||
Thomas Withers Chinn | Whig | March 4, 1839 – March 3, 1841 |
26th | [data unknown/missing] | |
John Bennett Dawson |
Democratic | March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1843 |
27th | Redistricted to the 3rd district. | |
Alcée Louis la Branche | Democratic | March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1845 |
28th | [data unknown/missing] | 1843–1853 [data unknown/missing] |
Bannon Goforth Thibodeaux | Democratic | March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1849 |
29th 30th |
[data unknown/missing] | |
Charles Magill Conrad |
Whig | March 4, 1849 – August 17, 1850 |
31st | [data unknown/missing] Resigned to become United States Secretary of War | |
Vacant | August 17, 1850 – December 5, 1850 | ||||
Henry Adams Bullard |
Whig | December 5, 1850 – March 3, 1851 |
Elected to finish Conrad's term. [data unknown/missing] | ||
Joseph Aristide Landry | Whig | March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853 |
32nd | [data unknown/missing] | |
Theodore Gaillard Hunt | Whig | March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855 |
33rd | [data unknown/missing] | 1853–1863 [data unknown/missing] |
Miles Taylor |
Democratic | March 4, 1855 – February 5, 1861 |
34th 35th 36th |
Withdrew due to onset of Civil War | |
Vacant | February 5, 1861 – December 3, 1862 |
36th 37th | |||
Michael Hahn |
Unionist | December 3, 1862 – March 3, 1863 |
37th | [data unknown/missing] | |
Vacant | March 4, 1863– July 18, 1868 |
38th 39th 40th |
U.S. Civil War and Reconstruction era | ||
James Mann | Democratic | July 18, 1868 – August 26, 1868 |
40th | [data unknown/missing] Died. | |
Vacant | August 26, 1868 – March 3, 1869 |
House left seat vacant due to election dispute | |||
Lionel Allen Sheldon |
Republican | March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1875 |
41st 42nd 43rd |
[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election. | |
Ezekiel John Ellis |
Democratic | March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1885 |
44th 45th 46th 47th 48th |
[data unknown/missing] Retired. | |
Michael Hahn |
Republican | March 3, 1885 – March 15, 1886 |
49th | [data unknown/missing] Died. | |
Vacant | March 15, 1886 – December 9, 1886 | ||||
Nathaniel Dick Wallace | Democratic | December 9, 1886 – March 3, 1887 |
Elected to finish Hahn's term. [data unknown/missing] | ||
Matthew Diamond Lagan |
Democratic | March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1889 |
50th | [data unknown/missing] | |
Hamilton D. Coleman |
Republican | March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1891 |
51st | [data unknown/missing] | |
Matthew Diamond Lagan |
Democratic | March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1893 |
52nd | [data unknown/missing] | |
Robert Charles Davey |
Democratic | March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1895 |
53rd | [data unknown/missing] | |
Charles Francis Buck |
Democratic | March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1897 |
54th | [data unknown/missing] | |
Robert Charles Davey |
Democratic | March 4, 1897 – December 26, 1908 |
55th 56th 57th 58th 59th 60th |
[data unknown/missing] Died. | |
Vacant | December 26, 1908 – March 30, 1909 |
60th 61st | |||
Samuel Louis Gilmore | Democratic | March 30, 1909 – July 18, 1910 |
61st | Elected to finish Davey's term. Died. | |
Vacant | July 18, 1910 – November 8, 1910 | ||||
H. Garland Dupré |
Democratic | November 8, 1910 – February 21, 1924 |
61st 62nd 63rd 64th 65th 66th 67th 68th |
Elected to finish Gilmore's term. Died. | |
Vacant | February 21, 1924 – April 22, 1924 |
68th | |||
James Z. Spearing | Democratic | April 22, 1924 – March 3, 1931 |
68th 69th 70th 71st |
Elected to finish Deupré's term. [data unknown/missing] | |
Paul H. Maloney |
Democratic | March 4, 1931 – December 15, 1940 |
72nd 73rd 74th 75th 76th |
[data unknown/missing] Resigned. | |
Vacant | December 15, 1940 – January 3, 1941 |
76th | |||
Hale Boggs |
Democratic | January 3, 1941 – January 3, 1943 |
77th | [data unknown/missing] Lost renomination. | |
Paul H. Maloney |
Democratic | January 3, 1943 – January 3, 1947 |
78th 79th |
[data unknown/missing] Retired. | |
Hale Boggs |
Democratic | January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1973 |
80th 81st 82nd 83rd 84th 85th 86th 87th 88th 89th 90th 91st 92nd |
Presumed dead after private plane went missing over Alaska October 16, 1972. Seat declared vacant at beginning of the 93rd Congress. | |
Vacant | January 3, 1973 – March 20, 1973 |
93rd | 1973–1983 [data unknown/missing] | ||
Lindy Boggs |
Democratic | March 20, 1973 – January 3, 1991 |
93rd 94th 95th 96th 97th 98th 99th 100th 101st |
Elected to finish her husband's term. Retired. | |
1983–1993 [data unknown/missing] | |||||
William J. Jefferson |
Democratic | January 3, 1991 – January 3, 2009 |
102nd 103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th 110th |
[data unknown/missing] Lost re-election. | |
1993–2003 [data unknown/missing] | |||||
2003–2013 | |||||
Joseph Cao |
Republican | January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2011 |
111th | Elected in 2008. Lost re-election. | |
Cedric Richmond |
Democratic | January 3, 2011 – present |
112th 113th 114th 115th 116th |
Elected in 2010. | |
2013–present |
Recent Election Results
2002
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | William J. Jefferson* | 90,310 | 63.53 | |
Democratic | Irma Muse Dixon | 28,480 | 20.03 | |
Republican | Silky Sullivan | 15,440 | 10.86 | |
Democratic | Clarence "Buddy" Hunt | 4,137 | 2.91 | |
Libertarian | Wayne Clement | 3,789 | 2.67 | |
Total votes | 142,156 | 100.00 | ||
Turnout | ||||
Democratic hold | ||||
2004
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | William J. Jefferson* | 173,510 | 79.01 | |
Republican | Art Schwertz | 46,097 | 20.99 | |
Total votes | 219,607 | 100.00 | ||
Turnout | ||||
Democratic hold | ||||
2006
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | William J. Jefferson* | 28,283 | 30.08 | |
Democratic | Karen Carter Peterson | 20,364 | 21.66 | |
Democratic | Derrick D.T. Shepherd | 16,799 | 17.87 | |
Republican | Joe Lavigne | 12,511 | 13.31 | |
Democratic | Troy A. Carter | 11,304 | 12.02 | |
Republican | Eric T. Bradley | 1,159 | 1.23 | |
Democratic | Regina Bartholomew | 1,125 | 1.20 | |
Total votes | 91,545 | 100.00 | ||
Turnout | ||||
Democratic hold | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | William J. Jefferson* | 35,153 | 56.55 | |
Democratic | Karen Carter Peterson | 27,011 | 43.45 | |
Total votes | 62,164 | 100.00 | ||
Turnout | ||||
Democratic hold | ||||
2008
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Joseph Cao | 33,132 | 49.54 | |||
Democratic | William J. Jefferson* | 31,318 | 46.83 | |||
Green | Malik Rahim | 1,883 | 2.82 | |||
Libertarian | Gregory W. Kahn | 549 | 0.82 | |||
Total votes | 66,882 | 100.00 | ||||
Turnout | ||||||
Republican gain from Democratic | ||||||
2010
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Cedric Richmond* | 83,705 | 64.59 | |||
Republican | Joseph Cao* | 43,378 | 33.47 | |||
Independent | Anthony Marquize | 1,876 | 1.45 | |||
Independent | Jack Radosta | 645 | 0.50 | |||
Total votes | 129,604 | 100.00 | ||||
Turnout | ||||||
Democratic gain from Republican | ||||||
2012
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Cedric Richmond* | 158,501 | 55.20 | |
Democratic | Gary Landrieu | 71,916 | 25.00 | |
Republican | Dwayne Bailey | 38,801 | 13.50 | |
Republican | Josue Larose | 11,345 | 3.90 | |
Libertarian | Caleb Trotter | 6,791 | 2.40 | |
Total votes | 287,354 | 100.00 | ||
Turnout | ||||
Democratic hold | ||||
2014
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Cedric Richmond* | 152,201 | 69 | |
Democratic | Gary Landrieu | 37,805 | 17 | |
No Party | David Brooks | 16,327 | 7 | |
Libertarian | Samuel Davenport | 15,237 | 7 | |
Total votes | 221,570 | 100.00 | ||
Turnout | 47.6 | |||
Democratic hold | ||||
2016
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Cedric Richmond* | 198,289 | 70 | |
Democratic | Kip Holden | 57,125 | 20 | |
Democratic | Kenneth Cutno | 28,855 | 10 | |
Total votes | 284,269 | 100.00 | ||
Turnout | 67.7 | |||
Democratic hold | ||||
2018
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Cedric Richmond (incumbent) | 190,182 | 80.6 | |
Independent | Jesse Schmidt | 20,465 | 8.7 | |
Independent | Belden "Noonie Man" Batiste | 17,260 | 7.3 | |
Independent | Shawndra Rodriguez | 8,075 | 3.4 | |
Total votes | 235,982 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic hold |
References
- Geography, US Census Bureau. "Congressional Districts Relationship Files (state-based)". www.census.gov.
- Center for New Media & Promotion (CNMP), US Census Bureau. "My Congressional District". www.census.gov.
- "Partisan Voting Index – Districts of the 115th Congress" (PDF). The Cook Political Report. April 7, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
- "The Political Graveyard". politicalgraveyard.com.
- Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
- Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
- Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present