Voters tab new leaders on Election Day

Last Tuesday, Terrebonne and Lafourche voters took to the polls to vote on a number of candidates and issues. While the presidential election was the headliner, voters also cast ballots for congressional seats, local council and mayoral positions and six state amendments. Here is a wrap up of all the results from election night.

Scalise, Graves retain Congressional seats

Congressmen Steve Scalise and Garret Graves are headed back to Washington, D.C., after they both won re-election.

Scalise, R-Jefferson, representing the 1st Congressional District, won in a landslide against six other opponents. Scalise earned 243,576 votes, good for 75 percent of the total. Democrat Lee Ann Dugas was the closest challenger, finishing with 41,816 votes and 13 percent of the total. More than 326,000 voters cast ballots in the race.

Scalise returns for his fifth full term in the House of Representatives, in which he serves as the majority whip for the Republican Party.

Graves, R-Baton Rouge, also won his re-election bid for the 6th Congressional District. He took home 207,455 votes for 63 percent of the more than 331,000 cast. Democrat Richard Lieberman was the closest among five challengers, finishing with 49,353 votes and 15 percent of the total.

Graves will serve his second term in Congress. The former head of the state’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority helped pass a new federal highway funding bill, with provisions set to earn Louisiana projects priority for the available money.

Senate seat set for run-off

State Treasurer John Kennedy and Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell are headed to a run-off to decide who replaces David Vitter in the United States Senate.

Kennedy, R-Madisonville, led the way, but a crowded, 24-candidate field ensured he would not come close to a majority.

Kennedy finished with 482,453 votes for 25 percent of the total. Campbell, D-Elm Grove, followed Kennedy with 337,723 and 17 percent, narrowly edging out U.S. Rep Charles Boustany, R-Lafayette, who carried 15 percent. In total, more than 1.9 million Louisiana residents voted in the race.

Voters will choose between Kennedy and Campbell to replace the retiring Vitter on Dec. 10 in the statewide run-off election.

Vedros stays as Lockport top cop

Warren Vedros will remain as the police chief of Lockport after winning re-election on Tuesday.

Vedros, a Democrat, won 59 percent of the vote with 612 votes. Fellow Democrat Ernest Boudreaux Sr. came in second place with 363 votes and 35 percent of the vote. Hamilton Guidroz, also Democrat, won 5 percent with 56 votes.

Vedros continues in the role he has held since 2004.

Lockport mayor race headed to run-off

The mayoral race in Lockport is headed to a Dec. 10 run-off after a tight race.

Edward Reinhardt, a Democrat, earned 490 votes, enough for 49 percent of the total vote. Lockport Council Member Craig Rogers, a Republican, won 479 votes and 48 percent of the total. Gene Breaux, no party, came in with 35 votes and 3 percent of the total. Had Reinhardt won 13 more votes, he would have won the election outright.

Reinhardt and Rogers will face off on Dec. 10 to succeed Paul Champagne, who chose not to run for re-election.

Baudoin, Bourgeois join Lockport Council

Stephen Baudoin will replace Craig Rogers on the Lockport Council after winning the Division A seat.

Baudoin, a Republican, beat fellow Republican Ralph Sapia by a 14 percentage-point margin. Baudoin won 553 votes for 57 percent of the vote. Sapia won 421 votes for 43 percent of the remaining vote.

“Rescue Wayne” Bourgeois Jr. will be a Lockport councilman after winning tonight’s election.

With all precincts reporting, Bourgeois, a Republican, won 571 votes for 56 percent of the total vote. He defeated Democrat Weldon “Chunky” Triche, who had 440 votes and 44 percent. Bourgeois will take over the Division E seat in the Lockport Council.

Congressman Steve Scalise is still in office after winning re-election for his Congressional seat during last Tuesday’s election.

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