Ringside Politics With A Punch

Overall, the Democrats were the big winners on Election Day 2008, claiming the White House and an increased majority on Capitol Hill. In Louisiana, Democratic U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu won a solid victory, earning another six year term. Despite the major setbacks, the GOP can claim some success in Louisiana. In the 1st Congressional District, incumbent Steve Scalise won a convincing 67% of the vote despite being heavily outspent by his Democratic opponent Jim Harlan. In the 6th Congressional District, incumbent Democrat Donald Cazayoux was defeated by Dr. Bill Cassidy, a Republican State Senator. Cazayoux won a special election earlier in the year, but was targeted for defeat because the demographics of the district favor the Republican Party. Locally, Republican Greg Guidry was elected to the Louisiana Supreme Court with 60% of the vote and Republican businessman Eric Skrmetta defeated Independent John Schwegmann in the race for Public Service Commissioner by a convincing 60-40% margin.