With Democrats nursing a 4-seat lead in the Louisiana State Senate and a 1-seat lead in the State House, the three legislative special elections this past Saturday had statewide implications. But despite state Republicans making a serious run at all three seats over the weekend, Democrats pitched a shutout in their two open seats, preventing any Republican advance in the Legislature.

Louisiana legislative elections use a unique, non-partisan primary system where the top two vote-getters move on to a runoff election. In both open Democratic seats – the New Orleans based 97th House District and the 24th Senate District based in Opelousas and northern Lafayette – all runoff participants will be Democrats.

The Senate runoff will be the more interesting of the two, featuring members of two famous local political families, Patricia “Pat” Cravins and State Representative Elbert L. Guillory. Rep. Guillory finished first on Saturday, but the Cravins Family has a deep well of support in the district, making the runoff a true tossup. In New Orleans, Democrats Jared Brossett and Leroy Doucette will compete in the runoff for the 97th House District.

The third seat, the Republican-held 16th Senate District anchored in the southeast suburbs of Baton Rouge, stayed in Republican hands. The result was disappointing but expected in one of the toughest districts in the state for Democrats. I should know – I worked that territory for a special congressional election in 2008, and it would have taken an exceptional Democrat to win or even come close.

With the legislature so close in Louisiana, every seat counts. Even without gaining the 16th Senate seat, state Democrats should be proud that they beat back two Republican challenges so soundly this weekend.