Changes

A 17-year veteran of the [[United States Air Force]], nine in active duty, he flew B-52 bombers in combat in [[Iraq]] and [[Afghanistan]]. Crews said that his election to the state House proves that district voters want a "true [[conservative]]" in the mold of Mike Johnson, who endorsed Crews as his state House successor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/2017/04/29/crews-wins-district-8-house-race/101083150/|title=Crews wins District 8 House race|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|author= Barbara Leader|date= April 30, 2017 |accessdate= May 1, 2017}}</ref>  

A 17-year veteran of the [[United States Air Force]], nine in active duty, he flew B-52 bombers in combat in [[Iraq]] and [[Afghanistan]]. Crews said that his election to the state House proves that district voters want a "true [[conservative]]" in the mold of Mike Johnson, who endorsed Crews as his state House successor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/2017/04/29/crews-wins-district-8-house-race/101083150/|title=Crews wins District 8 House race|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|author= Barbara Leader|date= April 30, 2017 |accessdate= May 1, 2017}}</ref>  

In the first round of balloting on March 25, Crews finished first in a four-candidate all-Republican field, with  2,144 votes (41 percent), followed by Gatti, who received 1,947 votes (37 percent). In third place was Michael Durrell "Duke" Lowrie (born April 1970) of Benton,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=State Representative - 8th District|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=March 26, 2017}}</ref> who ran unsuccessfully for the seat in 2011 against fellow Republican Jefferson Rowe "Jeff" Thompson of Bossier City.  

In the first round of balloting on March 25, Crews finished first in a four-candidate all-Republican field, with  2,144 votes (41 percent), followed by Gatti, who received 1,947 votes (37 percent). In third place was Michael Durrell "Duke" Lowrie (born April 1970) of Benton,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=State Representative - 8th District|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=March 26, 2017}}</ref> who ran unsuccessfully for the seat in 2011 against fellow Republican [[Jeff R. Thompson]], since a district judge in Bossier Parish.  

The fourth placed candidate, Patrick Harrington, subsequently endorsed Crews, as did U.S. Senator [[John Neely Kennedy]], neighboring state Representative Dodie Horton, and Louisiana state Attorney General [[Jeff Landry]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thehayride.com/2017/04/jeff-landry-endorses-raymond-crews-in-runoff/|title=http://thehayride.com/2017/04/jeff-landry-endorses-raymond-crews-in-runoff/|title=Jeff Landry endorses Raymond Crews in runoff|publisher=Thehayride.com|accessdate=May 2, 2017}}</ref> Two other Republicans, [[John Stefanski]] in District 42 and [[Joe Stagni]] in District 92, also won special elections in 2017 to fill vacancies. Stefanski succeeded a Democrat; Stagni, another Republican.

The fourth placed candidate, Patrick Harrington, subsequently endorsed Crews, as did U.S. Senator [[John Neely Kennedy]], neighboring state Representative Dodie Horton, and Louisiana state Attorney General [[Jeff Landry]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thehayride.com/2017/04/jeff-landry-endorses-raymond-crews-in-runoff/|title=http://thehayride.com/2017/04/jeff-landry-endorses-raymond-crews-in-runoff/|title=Jeff Landry endorses Raymond Crews in runoff|publisher=Thehayride.com|accessdate=May 2, 2017}}</ref> Two other Republicans, [[John Stefanski]] in District 42 and [[Joe Stagni]] in District 92, also won special elections in 2017 to fill vacancies. Stefanski succeeded a Democrat; Stagni, another Republican.