Louisiana House of Representatives seat · lines in effect since 2022
Louisiana House District 78
A district of about 48,000 people, 21% Hispanic, 34% of adults with a bachelor's degree. It votes R+43.5 relative to the nation for president.
2019 election
Oct 12, 2019- John Illg (R) · won58.5%
- William Wallis (R)41.5%
Source: Harvard Dataverse / Carl KlarnerUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 7:29 AM ET
Where it sits among all 103 seats
Every Louisiana House of Representatives seat by partisan lean, from most Democratic to most Republican. Lean is the seat's presidential vote on current lines, relative to the nation.
Democratic
Source: 99chambers: 2024 and 2020 presidential results on current lines, relative to the nation (2024 weighted 3:1)Updated Oct 16, 2026, 5:19 AM ET
Every election for this seat
17 races since 1972. District numbers are redrawn after each census: each group is one set of lines.
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Won by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lines first used in 2012 | |||
| 2019 | John Illg (R) | William Wallis (R) | 17.1 |
| 2015 | Kirk Talbot (R) | — | Unopposed |
| Lines first used in 2002 | |||
| 2011 | Kirk Talbot (R) | — | Unopposed |
| 2007 runoff | Kirk Talbot (R) | Tiffany Scot Wilken (R) | 14.2 |
| 2007 | No winner recorded | Kirk Talbot (R) | — |
| 2003 | Shirley Bowler (R) | Chuck Cannon (R) | 37.2 |
| Lines first used in 1992 | |||
| 1999 | Shirley Bowler (R) | Terry Power (R) | 44.5 |
| 1995 runoff | Shirley Bowler (R) | Eddie Schmidt (D) | 5.0 |
| 1995 | No winner recorded | Shirley Bowler (R) | — |
| Lines first used in 1982 | |||
| 1991 | Shirley Bowler (R) | Robert T. Garrity Jr. (R) | 18.6 |
| 1987 runoff | Robert T. Garrity Jr. (R) | Eddie Doucet (R) | 6.1 |
| 1987 | No winner recorded | Robert T. Garrity Jr. (R) | — |
| 1983 | Eddie Doucet (D) | — | Unopposed |
| Lines first used in 1972 | |||
| 1979 | Eddie Doucet (D) | Ronald Michael Chapoton (R) | 35.5 |
| 1975 runoff | Eddie Doucet (D) | Wendell H. Gauthier (D) | 3.8 |
| 1975 | No winner recorded | Eddie Doucet (D) | — |
| 1972 | Eddie Doucet (D) | Hunter O. Wagner Jr. (R) | 37.2 |
Primaries: 1971 Democratic primary runoff · 1971 Democratic primary
Won by: the winner's lead over the runner-up, in points of the vote. Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Districts that overlap District 78
The state's districts in other chambers that share residents with this one, and the share of District 78's area in each.
Who lives here, compared
Grey bars show the spread of all 103 seats. Small marks are other seats in Louisiana. The black marker is District 78.
Higher than 77% of seats.
Higher than 56% of seats.
Higher than 99% of seats.
Lower than 97% of seats.
Higher than 80% of seats.
Denser than 93% of seats.
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, allocated to current linesUpdated Oct 13, 2026, 5:06 AM ET
Seats most like this one
Nearest seats on demographics, density and lean.
District 8037% college gradsR+31.7Not up in 2026District 79
44% college gradsR+34.6Not up in 2026District 65
23% Black · 32% college gradsR+39.8Not up in 2026District 82
48% college gradsR+25.1Not up in 2026
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, allocated to current lines; 99chambers: 2024 and 2020 presidential results on current lines, relative to the nation (2024 weighted 3:1)Updated Oct 16, 2026, 5:19 AM ET