Changes

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.  

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]] of Haughton, 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.

In April 2018, Representative Crews endorsed the state House-passed budget which critics claim will gut state hospitals and higher education and faces likely defeat in the state Senate. Crews said that Governor John Bel Edwards has exaggerated the state's fiscal condition in a bid to convince lawmakers to raise taxes once more. Crews noted that under the House budget hospitals will have $4 billion more than they had a few years ago. He said the principal medical problem comes from the expansion of [[Medicaid]], which does not reimburse physicians commensurate with their services rendered.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://710keel.com/rep-raymond-crews-problems-not-nearly-as-severe-as-the-governor-is-letting-on-video/|title=Rep. Raymond Crews problems not nearly as severe as the governor is letting on|publisher=KEEL Radio||date=April 20, 2018}}</ref>  

In April 2018, Representative Crews endorsed the state House-passed budget which critics claim will gut state hospitals and higher education and faces likely defeat in the state Senate. Crews said that Governor John Bel Edwards has exaggerated the state's fiscal condition in a bid to convince lawmakers to raise taxes once more. Crews noted that under the House budget hospitals will have $4 billion more than they had a few years ago. He said the principal medical problem comes from the expansion of [[Medicaid]], which does not reimburse physicians commensurate with their services rendered.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://710keel.com/rep-raymond-crews-problems-not-nearly-as-severe-as-the-governor-is-letting-on-video/|title=Rep. Raymond Crews problems not nearly as severe as the governor is letting on|publisher=KEEL Radio||date=April 20, 2018}}</ref>