BATON ROUGE (AP) — Republicans easily maintained their hold on the state House and Senate in the primary election, but were unable to oust the white Democratic incumbents they had in their sights as they hoped to widen their majority in the Louisiana Legislature.

The GOP will have 24 senators out of 39 beginning in January, an increase of two from the current term. They will have at least 57 of 105 House members, likely more with the outcome of the Nov. 19 runoff.

But incumbent Democrats seeking re-election maintained their posts.

Five Democratic House members and two Democratic senators targeted by either the Republican Party, Gov. Bobby Jindal, U.S. Sen. David Vitter or all of them managed to hang onto their jobs despite often expensive campaigns launched against them.

“I think the biggest, obvious takeaway from this election night is the power of incumbency, and that doesn’t surprise me,” Vitter said Monday. “We always thought our gains this time around would be much tougher than last time because the sort of low-hanging fruit has been picked.”

Republicans gained control of both the House and Senate in the last year, giving the GOP a majority in the Louisiana Legislature for the first time since Reconstruction. Vitter spearheads a legislative fundraising and campaigning organization, the Louisiana Committee for a Republican Majority.

Jindal was working with the Republican Party of Louisiana on a similar effort and made donations from his own campaign account. The two groups spent more than $2 million in the primary campaigns.

Democratic incumbents who retained their seats include Sens. Ben Nevers in Bogalusa and Eric LaFleur in Ville Platte. The Louisiana Committee for a Republican Majority targeted Nevers for ousting, while Jindal and the LCRM endorsed LaFleur’s opponent.

Other Democratic lawmakers who survived attempts to keep them from a new term were Reps. Neil Abramson of New Orleans, James Armes of Leesville, Robert Johnson of Marksville, Bernard LeBas of Ville Platte and Jack Montoucet of Scott.

Vitter and Jindal also hoped to keep Democrat Gary Smith of Norco, who is term-limited in the House, from being elected to an open state Senate seat. Despite the opposition, Smith easily defeated Republican Garrett Monti of Luling.

Jindal focused on the wins instead of the losses, saying 87 Republican and Democratic candidates he backed — including several dozen lawmakers who weren’t opposed for re-election bids — have advanced to new terms. Seven candidates he endorsed for House and Senate seats lost.

Meanwhile, at least three former senators seeking to return to their old posts are in November runoffs with the current officeholders.

In southwest Louisiana, James David Cain of Dry Creek is hoping to force Sen. John Smith of Leesville out of the seat Cain held before term limits kept him from a re-election bid four years ago. Both men are Republicans.

In the Shreveport area, Greg Tarver is hoping to unseat Lydia Jackson and return to the job he held for two decades until 2004. Both are Democrats.

In south central Louisiana, Opelousas Mayor Don Cravins Sr. is seeking to return to the Senate seat he held for 25 years by ousting Sen. Elbert Guillory. Both men are Democrats.

Two term-limited House members lost their bids for Senate seats: Rep. Michael Jackson, D-Baton Rouge; and Rep. Jane Smith, R-Bossier City. Rep. Rick Gallot, D-Ruston, has hit his maximum time in the House but won a newly-created Senate seat.

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Election results are online at http://electionresults.sos.la.gov/graphical/