Two Teche Area candidates square off on Saturday for the newly formed state House of Representatives District 96 seat.

The tri-parish minority district was formed after a special legislative redistricting session following the release of 2010 Census data.

On Oct. 22, St. Martinville native and resident Eric Martin received 3,760 votes, or 41 percent and Lafayette resident and New Iberia native Terry Landry received 32 percent of the votes with 2,939, pairing the candidates into this Saturday’s runoff.

“It’s going to come down to who can get their people to the polls on Saturday,” Landry said Thursday. “We’ve been very pleased with the support and response we’ve received from the community.”

Landry said he thought he and Martin have run fair campaigns and focused less on each other and on “trying to get their messages out.”

“I think Mr. Martin has been a gentlemen and I have been a gentlemen,” Landry said. “He has focused on his message and we are trying to get our’s out. It’s about people understanding the issues in this district to get the vote out.

“I’ve met  a lot of new friends and renewed some old friendships and for that I’m a better person,” Landry said.

Martin also said he and his camp have spent less time focusing on Landry’s campaign and instead on working to gain supporters.

His experience defines him as the more qualified candidate, Martin said, though questions concerning minority representation have come up from time to time.

“This district is the most diverse district in the state,” he said. “And who is elected has to be able to represent everyone living in that district. It has some of the richest and some of the poorest people in the state. As a representative you must bridge those gaps.”

Martin said he has been “truly humbled” by those working in his campaign.

“This is the largest and most organized effort I’ve been a part of for 20 years,” he said.

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday.