Louisiana's 8th congressional district

Louisiana's 8th congressional district is a defunct Congressional district and no longer exists after Louisiana lost its eighth Congressional seat in the 1990 U. S. Census. For its entire existence, it was based in Alexandria and included much of the north-central part of the state.

Beginning in 1972, the district was redrawn at the direction of Governor Edwin Edwards to take in liberal precincts in and around Baton Rouge in order to aid the return to Congress of Gillis Long.

List of representatives

Representative	Party	Years	District home	Notes
District created		March 4, 1913		Created following 1910 census
James Benjamin Aswell	Democratic	March 4, 1913 – March 16, 1931	Natchitoches	Died
Vacant		March 16, 1931 – May 12, 1931
John H. Overton	Democratic	May 12, 1931 – March 3, 1933	Marksville	Retired to run for U.S. Senate
Cleveland Dear	Democratic	March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1937	Alexandria
A. Leonard Allen	Democratic	January 3, 1937 – January 3, 1953	Winnfield
George S. Long	Democratic	January 3, 1953 – March 22, 1958	Pineville	Died
Vacant		March 22, 1958 – January 3, 1959
Harold B. McSween	Democratic	January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1963	Alexandria
Gillis W. Long	Democratic	January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1965	Alexandria	Defeated for renomination
Speedy O. Long	Democratic	January 3, 1965 – January 3, 1973	Jena	Retired when home was drawn into the 5th district
Gillis W. Long	Democratic	January 3, 1973 – January 20, 1985	Alexandria	Died
Vacant		January 20, 1985 – March 30, 1985
Catherine Small Long	Democratic	March 30, 1985 – January 3, 1987	Alexandria	Filled remainder of deceased husband's term; did not seek election to full term
Clyde C. Holloway	Republican	January 3, 1987 – January 3, 1993	Forest Hill	Lost re-election to fellow incumbent Jim McCrery when 8th district was eliminated after 1990 U.S. Census, forcing Holloway to run in newly-drawn 5th district
District eliminated		January 3, 1993

References

• Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present