The big story in Louisiana’s Saturday runoff elections is whether Sen. Mary Landrieu can pull off a stunning upset and win a third term.
But Republicans could have more to brag about. Voters will decide two House of Representatives races, and if Republicans win, they would control at least 246 seats in the next Congress.
That would tie the party’s biggest number since the 1947-49 Congress. One more win, and there is still one too-close-to-call race, would give Republicans their biggest number since the 1929-31 Congress, when it had 270 seats.
One of the Louisiana House races involves choosing a successor to Rep. Bill Cassidy, a Republican who’s way ahead of Landrieu for the Senate seat. Former Gov. Edwin Edwards, a Democrat who has served time in prison on rackeetering charges, is vying with Republican Garret Graves.
The other race’s winner would replace Rep. Vance McAllister, R-La., who didn’t make the runoff after he was caught on camera kissing a former aide.
In the Senate race, polls have shown Cassidy with a double digit lead. A Landrieu loss would give Republicans 54 seats next year in the Senate.