UPDATE: Fleming maps out 3rd term; Pitman leads Matlock

U.S. Rep. John Fleming told supporters Tuesday night that he wanted to wrest control of health care from Washington control and return decisions to patients and their doctors.
With 750 0f 850 4^th District precincts reporting, Fleming held a commanding lead over his libertarian opponent, Randall Lord. The margin was 75 percent to 25 percent, or 167,929 votes to 55,357 votes.
Fleming, a physician, derided Obamacare, though a congressional status quo would make repeal difficult – particularly with Barack Obama remaining in the White House.
Fleming also told supporters he wants to reform the tax system, achieve national energy independence within the next decade and to once again work toward a balanced budget.
In other races of local interest, Frances Pitman defeated David Matlock in their race for an open seat on Louisiana's 2^nd Circuit Court of Appeal.
Pitman outpaced Matlock 54 to 46 percent. Vote totals were 41,959 to 36,119.
Both are Republicans and both sitting judges, Pitman serving on the Caddo District Court bench and Matlock serving in the Caddo juvenile justice system.
In the Bossier-Webster District Court race,  Whit Graves and Mike Nerren, were headed toward a December runoff, with 143 of 147 precincts reporting. Nerren leads with 39 percent of the vote compared to 31 percent for Graves. John Slattery was a close third with 29 percent of the vote. All three are Republican.
Fleming said the Democrats tried to find an opponent against him but couldn't, leaving Lord as the only person willing to enter the race. In an interview with KTBS before his formal acceptance speech, Fleming lamented the loss of a congressional seat for Louisiana noting the reduction in political clout for the state as it went from seven to six congressman. With Louisiana losing ground to population gains in other regions of the United States, he said it is critical that the state build an economy that can hold onto its young people.
Fleming also worried that if the president prevailed Tuesday, he saw four more years of gridlock and a used a conservative refrain that Obama is bent on a path toward "socialism.'' Such commentary plays well in Louisiana which was solidly in the Romney camp Tuesday.
Among his goals over the next two years is to repeal Obamacare, achieve energy independence and eliminate "crazy regulations that are strangling our business."