Louisiana House Races Head to Runoffs

Louisiana's 5th and 6th congressional districts will hold runoffs after no candidate won a majority in either race.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections

Live Poll

Do you think things in Louisiana are heading in the right direction?

Louisiana U.S. House races in the 5th and 6th congressional districts went to runoffs after no candidate received a majority of votes. Nine candidates ran in the 5th district and ten in the 6th, with each district set to see a Republican and a Democrat face off.

Why it matters

The runoffs mean the final outcome in both districts will be decided after the initial election, extending the contest for voters in the state. The results follow a nationwide midterm election in which Democrats won congressional and gubernatorial races across the country.

Nine candidates ran in Louisiana's 5th district and ten in the 6th, with neither race producing a majority winner. The runoff pairings and dates have not been confirmed.

The players

Cindy Hyde-Smith

Cindy Hyde-Smith is the Republican incumbent U.S. senator from Mississippi seeking reelection in a close race.

Scott Colom

Scott Colom is a Democratic candidate who was previously nominated by Joe Biden for a federal judgeship, a nomination Hyde-Smith blocked.

The details

Louisiana's 5th and 6th congressional districts both saw no candidate win a majority, sending the races to runoffs in which a Republican and a Democrat will face off. Separately, Democrats won in South Carolina, North Carolina, Texas, and Georgia during the 2026 midterms, and Democrat Jamie Davis lost the Louisiana U.S. Senate race by a margin closer than expected.

- November 3, 2026: Midterm elections held across the country, with Louisiana's House races going to runoffs.
- November 4, 2026: Louisiana House runoff results set and Mississippi Senate race still too close to call.

Political Context

The Louisiana runoffs unfold against the backdrop of the 2026 midterm elections, in which Democrats won congressional and gubernatorial races in South Carolina, North Carolina, Texas, and Georgia. Democrat Jamie Davis's Senate loss in Louisiana, by a margin closer than expected, shows the state remained competitive even as Democrats gained ground elsewhere.

Louisiana voters in the 5th and 6th districts will need to return to the polls for a runoff, since neither district produced a majority winner. Mississippi residents will see the final Senate outcome only after all votes are counted.

The takeaway

Close races can take days to resolve, so checking official results as counting finishes gives the clearest picture of who has won. Voters in affected districts should confirm their runoff dates with their local election office.

What happens next

Runoff elections will be held in Louisiana's 5th and 6th congressional districts, and the Mississippi Senate race will be decided once the remaining votes are counted.