by Tim Storey
On Saturday, voters in the Acadiana region of Louisiana elected Republican State Representative Jonathan Perry to fill an open state senate seat giving the GOP a 20-19 majority in the Senate. When Rep. Perry is sworn in to the Senate, it will be the first GOP majority in that body since the 1870 election when there were 29 Republican senators and only 7 Democrats. Democrats won back the majority in 1876 and held it ever since.
Even when Rep. Perry resigns from the Louisiana House to take his new Senate seat, Republicans will maintain a 51-49 advantage in that body with 4 independents and one vacancy. Louisiana becomes the ninth state in the south where Republicans control the legislature. Prior to the 1992 election, Democrats controlled every legislative chamber in the south. Now, Republicans hold 20 chambers compared to only eight held by Democrats.
Moving the Louisiana Senate to the GOP column also increases the GOP advantage in legislatures across the country. The scorecard for legislative control is now: Republicans-26, Democrats-16 and seven are divided. This is the most state legislatures in the GOP column since 1952 when they also held 26.
For a complete rundown of partisan control in legsilatures (not updated to reflect the LA Senate change), go here on the NCSL website.
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