Sen. Lydia P. Jackson (D)
District# 39,

• District # 39: House District 0
• Party: Democrat
• Caucus Membership: --
• Occupation: V.P. of Community Outreach, Hibernia National Bank
• Education: Captain Shreve; Harvard-Radcliffe
• Spouse: Single
• Year Elected: 2004
• Last Year Eligible(Term Limit): 2016
• 2007 Election
  Although Jackson eventually ran unopposed, she faced competition early in the election from Raymond Simmons. After complaints where raised by residents, however, Simmons was thrown out of the race for a felony charge from 1992, leaving Jackson the sole contender for the Senate spot.
  

• Louisiana Map
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• Economic: District 39 sits in Louisiana’s most Northwestern corner, along the borders of both Texas and Arkansas. The Red River acts as a southern boundary line and a big source of economic power for the district. It is also home to the area’s booming riverboat casino business. Gaming has been incredibly successful in this area, due in part to the many out-of-state gamblers from Arkansas and Texas who cross state lines to spend money. Much of the once-booming industrial corridor is now aging and in need of new life, but plants like Calumet Lubricants Shreveport Refinery and Libbey Glass are doing well. In addition, the LSU Medical Center brings in hundreds of students every year, who in turn help tend to the medical needs of the area’s significant indigent population. The biomedical research center also generates well paid, high-tech jobs, and several private hospitals make this area the focal point of medical expertise for Northern Louisiana. The north Caddo area includes some of the oldest oil discoveries in Louisiana, and some fields still produce small amounts of crude. There are also a number of small oil field service firms.
• Social: Shreveport’s inner city residents and culture are dominating forces in District 39. Drug use and gang activity are problems within urban areas, and crime is a big concern. Middle- and working-class white neighborhoods are located outside city limits. The Red River’s farms sit on the district’s fringes.
• Political: Residents of District 39 are a solid vote for Democratic candidates. Although there are conservative inclinations among the white and farming communities, the African-American population concentration in Shreveport makes District 39 a strong base for Democratic candidates.

• Lydia Jackson used a successful first term in the State House to win the open Senate seat of longtime Shreveport Legislator Greg Tarver in 2003. The Harvard-educated Jackson quickly gained a reputation as a studious and knowledgeable legislator. In addition to her legislative duties, Jackson serves as Vice President, Community Outreach Director for Hibernia National Bank and participates in and serves on the board of several Shreveport area community organizations. Jackson is the daughter of Alphonse Jackson, the first African-American elected to the Legislature from North Louisiana.
• Jackson has become a leading Democratic voice in the Senate for creating new sources of revenue during Louisiana’s recent run of budget shortfalls. While that role in the Upper Chamber has brought her headlines statewide, her position as chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women and Children has been a quiet source of policy accomplishments. She has recently been studying the development of a comprehensive continuum of support from birth to adulthood for Louisiana's children modeled after the Harlem Children's Zone. A study resolution has already been adopted and it could become the catalyst for legislation in the future. As a member of the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee, Jackson will also play a key role in the upcoming redistricting process and will likely zero in on protecting north Louisiana’s lines.
• Jackson has been a champion of community revitalization in her district, especially in wiping out blighted housing. She is an advocate for economic development and improving the living conditions of her community, particularly in terms of health care and education. Jackson has been an active member of the Senate, presenting bills to spur economic development and initiate tax credits for residents. In the 2007 legislative session, Jackson authored a bill to create the first refundable Earned Income Tax Credit in the South. In addition, Jackson introduced bills to ease and improve voting, use federal funding for indigent defense, and provide greater regulation for nursing home evacuation.