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House Democrats continued to expand their majority Saturday night after Louisiana state Rep. Don Cazayoux emerged victorious in a special election for retired Rep. Richard Baker’s (R) district, which had been in Republican hands since 1975. Cazayoux narrowly beat former state Rep. Woody Jenkins for the 6th Congressional District seat. With all 512 precincts reporting, Cazayoux had 49.2 percent of the vote compared to 46.27 for Jenkins, according to the Louisiana Secretary of State. Republicans held the 1st Congressional District, with Steve Scalise beating Democrat Gilda Reed for the seat formerly held by newly-elected Gov. Bobby Jindal. With all 505 precincts reporting, Scalise took 75.1 percent of the vote to Reed's 22.5 percent. But it was the Cazayoux-Jenkins race that the national parties were watching. Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) said Republicans failed again to “nationalize” the election by tying Cazayoux to Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama (D-Ill.). “For the second time this cycle, Republicans were reminded that ‘all politics is local,’” Van Hollen said. The win in Louisiana came two months after Democrats picked up their first seat of the year. In March, Democrat Bill Foster won the seat of former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.). “House Republicans tried to nationalize this election, illegally coordinated with Freedom’s Watch, used false and deceptive special interest smears, and funneled nearly a million dollars into a district that Republicans held for more than three decades,” Van Hollen stated. “Don won by focusing on the concerns of LA-06 voters -- good paying jobs, affordable healthcare, and better education.”
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