Anh Joseph Cao, Rep LA congressman

Here's a notable election result, since Louisiana is undergoing such transformations in cleaning up its political scene.

Democrat congressman, William Jefferson, of the cold, hard cash, (bribery money stored in the freezer) was replaced by Anh Joseph Cao in an unlikely upset. Cao is a lawyer, representing members of the largely immigrant community in the eastern part of New Orleans. This is a tight knit group which has become a model for rebuilding efforts after the hurricanes.

Mr. Cao immigrated to the U.S., at age 8, as a refugee after the fall of Saigon in 1975. He was educated in Philosophy at Fordham University, and later obtained a degree in law. He and his wife, Kate Hieu Hoang, have 2 daughters, Sophia and Betsy.

Cao is a member of the strong Vietnamese Catholic Church in his community. Not unexpectedly, Mr. Cao characterizes himself as a political moderate, with the exception of a firm policy against abortion.