Sen. Kennedy, Reps. Scalise, Carter cruise as Louisiana voters re-elect entire congressional delegation

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - All incumbent members of Louisiana’s congressional delegation swept to re-election victories Tuesday (Nov. 8).

U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, Republican Rep. Steve Scalise of Metairie and Democratic Rep. Troy Carter of New Orleans were the first whose races were called shortly after polls closed at 8 p.m.

Kennedy defeated 12 challengers in his bid for a second six-year term. Kennedy won 62 percent of the statewide vote, easily outdistancing Democratic rivals Gary Chambers Jr. (18 percent) and Luke Mixon (13 percent). Of more than 1.3 million votes cast in the state, 832,190 were marked for Kennedy.

Scalise was even more easily re-elected, to his eighth term representing Louisiana’s 1st congressional district. The GOP’s House Whip took 73 percent of the vote in his race against Democratic challenger Katie Darling (25 percent) and Libertarian Howard Kearney (2 percent).

Carter claimed early victory over Republican challenger Dan Lux in the 2nd congressional district, winning by a 77-23 percent margin.

“Today is about the future,” Carter said in a statement. “It’s about rolling up our sleeves and getting back to work. There is still much to do. ... It’s too early to tell how the rest of the country goes, but I stand here ready to go back and continue to be the people’s voice in Washington and move this country forward.”

In Louisiana’s 5th District, Republican incumbent Julia Letlow faced four challengers. All fell short in their bids to wrest away her seat representing a Central/Northeast Louisiana district that includes Alexandria to Monroe.

Letlow snared 68 percent of the vote in winning her first full term since assuming the seat vacated when her husband Luke Letlow died in December 2020 from complications of COVID-19. The widow Letlow won a special election to finish her husband’s term in March 2021 with 65 percent of the vote.

“I’m honored to have the opportunity to continue representing the people of the 5th district for the next two years,” Letlow said in a statement. “As I’ve said from the beginning, this is not my seat. It belongs to the people. ... I’m ready to return to Washington and begin working with my Republican colleagues to put forward solutions to our most pressing challenges.”

District 6 voters re-elected Republican incumbent Garret Graves, who faced two challengers for his seat in the Baton Rouge/South Central Louisiana area. Graves was supported by 81 percent of voters who cast ballots in his district.

Republican congressman Clay Higgins completed the incumbent sweep, winning his re-election bid in the 3rd district with 64 percent of the vote. Higgins faced seven challengers, and his victory ensured Louisiana’s entire congressional delegation is returning to Washington D.C.

There was no primary in Louisiana’s 4th District. No candidate qualified to challenge Republican incumbent Mike Johnson, so he will continue representing the district that covers the Shreveport-Northwest Louisiana region.

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