Voters in voting in a special election on May 3, 2008, elected Steve Scalise as a new member of the United States House of Representatives, replacing Representative Bobby Jindal who resigned on January 14, 2008, to become Governor of Louisiana.
This election and Louisiana's 6th congressional district special election were the first Louisiana congressional elections not based on Louisiana's jungle primary since the 1970s.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Gilda Reed, psychologist and professor
Vinny Mendoza, United States Air Force veteran, unsuccessful Democratic gubernatorial candidate in 2007
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Steve Scalise, Louisiana State Senator and former Louisiana State Representative
Tim Burns, Louisiana State Representative
Ben Morris, Mayor of Slidell
David Simpson, business owner and attorney
Results
Independent candidates
Anthony "Tony G" Gentile, oil refinery supervisor, unsuccessful independent gubernatorial candidate in 2007 R. A. "Skip" Galan