Fleming Hits The Ground Running
by John Andrew Prime - Shreveport Times (excerpt)

Minden physician John Fleming, who squeaked to victory by fewer than 400 votes over Democratic opponent Paul Carmouche in Saturday's general election to fill the 4th Congressional District seat, is wasting no time honoring his pledge to put a doctor in the House.

On Sunday, he contacted Republican House leadership about committee assignments that would be most beneficial for northwest Louisiana.

"I had the chance to speak with Leader John Boehner and Republican Whip Eric Cantor about potential committees that would allow me to have an immediate and positive impact for the people of this district," he said. "My primary focus will remain the economy, but I also am interested in energy, infrastructure, military and health care issues."

The committee assignments discussed echoed those he mentioned to The Times on Saturday in his post-election soiree at the Petroleum Club in downtown Shreveport, and include the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the Veterans Committee, the Military Affairs Committee and the Budget Committee.

He and Carmouche traded the lead, often by just a few hundred votes, most of the evening, before Bossier Parish returns came in and pushed him over the edge at the last moment, 44,497 votes, or 48 percent, to Carmouche's 44,141 votes, or 47.7 percent.