ACP member William M. Cassidy, MD, a cardiovascular disease physician and Louisiana state senator from Baton Rouge, was elected to Congress from Louisiana's 6th District Tuesday. A Republican, he defeated Democratic Congressman Don Cazayoux.

Dr. Cassidy is an Associate Professor of Medicine at LSU Health Science Center and teaches at Earl K. Long Hospital. He served as the Louisiana state senate's Health and Welfare committee's vice-chair during his nearly two years in the state senate.

The Congressman-elect's Web site reports, "In the medical community Bill has led in finding solutions to healthcare issues facing Louisiana. He co-founded the Greater Baton Rouge Community Clinic which provides free dental and health care to the working uninsured. He has developed public health programs such as the School-Based Hepatitis B Vaccination program. Over 6 years, this public-private coalition vaccinated over 36,000 public, private and parochial school children in 10 parishes at no cost to parents, schools, or state and local government. He worked with the Centers for Disease Control developing programs to increase flu immunization rates. When Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana, Bill led a group of volunteers that converted an abandoned K-Mart building with inadequate plumbing, wiring and air conditioning into a functioning field hospital within 30 hours."