WASHINGTON —  Don Cazayoux became Louisiana's newest Democratic congressman on Tuesday as Democrats celebrated their capture of a longtime Republican seat in the South.

I "want to thank the members and the constituents of my district for electing me and for challenging me to come here to work with you to meet the demands that they face every day," Cazayoux said after being sworn in by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Cazayoux's win means Louisiana's 6th district has a Democratic congressman for the first time in three decades. The seat opened up when longtime incumbent Republican Richard Baker resigned to take a lobbying position.

Republican Steve Scalise won the state's other vacant House seat in the 1st District. That position came open when Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal resigned to run for his current office.