LA-04: McCrery To Retire

This is a pretty shocking announcement out of Northwest Louisiana. Rep. Jim McCrery (R-Louisiana), who is the ranking Republican member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, will retire next year. The district, the fourth district of Louisiana, includes the entire Shreveport area, 3/4 of the Louisiana/Texas border, and the west half of the Arkansas/Louisiana border.

McCrery has represented the Shreveport area in Western and Northwestern Louisiana for nearly 20 years. McCrery won 55% of the vote in 2006 against two Democrats who received a combined 43% of the vote.

The seat leans Republican, but a strong Democrat, such as former Shreveport mayor Keith Hightower, can pick off this seat.