Louisiana voters elected Republican Julia Letlow to the U.S. Senate and returned U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson to Congress in the November 3 election, while approving seven of 10 proposed amendments to the state constitution.
With all 3,722 precincts reporting statewide, Letlow received 745,963 votes, or 51%, defeating Democrat Jamie Davis, who received 720,106 votes, or 49%, according to unofficial results from the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office.
Letlow will succeed Republican U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, becoming the first Republican woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Louisiana. She currently represents Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District.
The statewide contest was decided by 25,857 votes out of more than 1.46 million cast, with unofficial voter turnout reported at 49.3%.
In Louisiana’s 4th Congressional District, which includes Webster Parish, Johnson won re-election with 134,739 votes, or 58%.
Democrat Conrad Cable finished second with 52,893 votes, or 23%, followed by Democrat Matt Gromlich with 32,866 votes, or 14%. Republicans Mike Nichols and Gordon Heslop received 7,270 and 2,571 votes, respectively.
Johnson, who serves as speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, will return to Congress for another term.
Webster Parish voters supported both Republican candidates. Letlow received 61% of the parish vote, while Johnson received 63%, according to local election returns.
Other congressional races
In Louisiana’s four other congressional districts, two incumbents won re-election, while the 5th and 6th Congressional District races will require runoffs after no candidate received a majority of the vote.
In the 1st Congressional District, incumbent Republican Steve Scalise won re-election with 61% of the vote, defeating Democrat Lauren Jewett and two other candidates.
Democratic incumbent Troy Carter won the 2nd Congressional District with 80% of the vote, while Republican incumbent Clay Higgins secured another term in the 3rd Congressional District with 55%.
The 5th Congressional District, currently represented by Letlow, will require a runoff after none of the nine candidates received a majority. Democrat Patricia “Pat” Moore led with 18%, followed by Republican Gabe Firment with 17%.
In the 6th Congressional District, Democrat Chauna Banks and Republican Blake Miguez advanced to a runoff after each received approximately 19% of the vote in a 10-candidate field. Banks received 50,878 votes, while Miguez received 50,213.
Public Service Commission
Republican John E. Atkins won the Louisiana Public Service Commission District 5 race, defeating Democrat James Edward Green.
Atkins received 161,038 votes, or 59%, compared with Green’s 111,188 votes, or 41%. All 869 precincts across the district’s 24 parishes reported, with unofficial voter turnout at 46.7%.
Webster Parish voters also favored Atkins, giving him 64% of the local vote.
Constitutional amendments
Louisiana voters approved seven of the 10 proposed constitutional amendments appearing on Tuesday’s ballot, rejecting measures involving property tax millage rates, retirement system liabilities, and tax exemptions for rehabilitated blighted properties.
Amendment 1 passed with 74% support. The measure allows a surviving spouse of a disabled veteran to transfer a qualifying property tax exemption one time to another home.
Amendment 2 failed, with 58% voting against the proposal. It would have allowed taxing authorities to maintain reduced property tax millage rates without losing the ability to adjust those rates to their authorized maximum.
Amendment 3 passed with 68% support, prohibiting release on bail for defendants convicted of certain offenses against children.
Amendment 4 received 56% support, establishing a lifetime limit on service as Louisiana governor for individuals who have served more than one and one-half terms.
Amendment 5 was rejected, with 62% opposed. The proposal would have allowed public retirement systems to apply funds toward any unfunded accrued liability rather than requiring them to address the oldest liability first.
Amendment 6 passed with 64% support, authorizing the extension of an additional property tax exemption for qualifying homeowners age 65 and older.
Amendment 7 received 65% support, allowing public funds to be used to identify, inventory, remove, or replace certain water service lines.
Amendment 8 passed with 62% support, prohibiting the expropriation of property by a foreign adversary or an agent acting on behalf of a foreign adversary.
Amendment 9 received 58% support, increasing the income limit for homeowners to qualify for the special assessment level associated with a homestead exemption.
Amendment 10 failed, with 53% opposed. It would have allowed property tax exemptions for rehabilitated blighted properties under conditions established by law.
Webster Parish voters supported the same seven amendments approved statewide and rejected the same three proposals.
Although all precincts have reported, election results remain unofficial until certified by the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office.