Dale Erdey
| Dale Michael Erdey | |
 | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2008 | |
| Preceded by | Heulette Fontenot |
|---|---|
| Succeeded by | J. Rogers Pope |
Louisiana State Representative for
District 71 (Livingston Parish) | |
| In office 2000 – 2008 | |
| Preceded by | Heulette Fontenot |
| Succeeded by | J. Rogers Pope |
| Born | December 6, 1954 Hammond, Tangipahoa Parish Louisiana |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Donna C. Felder Erdey |
| Children | Four children, including:
Lindsey E. McCaskill |
| Residence | Livingston, Louisiana |
| Alma mater | Doyle High School (Livingston) |
| Occupation | Real estate and insurance agen |
| Religion | United Methodist |
Dale Michael Erdey (born December 6, 1954) is a real estate and insurance agent in Livingston, Louisiana, who is a Republican former member of both houses of the state legislature. From 2008 to 2020, he served for three terms in the Senate for District 13 (East Baton Rouge, Tangipahoa, and mostly Livingston parishes). Prior to his Senate tenure, he served two terms in the Louisiana House of Representatives in District 71 from 2000 to 2008. When he entered both the House and the Senate, he succeeded the conservative Republican Heulette Fontenot. When he left the Seante, he was succeeded by the retired educator, J. Rogers Pope, also a Republican.
Background
A native of Hammond in Tangipahoa Parish, Erdey graduated from Doyle High School in Livingston.[1] In 1976, Erdey received a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.[2] From 1993 to 1997, Erdey was served as the mayor of Livingston, a post that his father once held.[1] Erdey is a member of the Greater Denham Springs Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis International, the Masonic lodge, and the National Rifle Association. He is active in the Livingston United Methodist Church.[3][2]
Erdey is married to the former Donna C. Felder (born c. 1957). He has four children,[2] two of whom are Lindsey E. McCaskill and husband Brian, and Ashlyn E. McMorris and husband Cody.
Legislative service
In the 1999 House primary to pick a successor to Representative Heulette Fontenot, who ran for the state Senate, Erdey led four Democrats, having polled 6,719 votes (42.2 percent). The runner-up was Kathleen Dawkins with 4,932 votes (30.1 percent). Two others held the remaining 27 percent of the critical ballots.[4] In the general election, Erdey defeated Dawkins, 7,070 (60.5 percent) to 4,614 (39.5 percent).[5] Erdey was unopposed for his second term in the House in 2003 and for his first term in the state Senate in the 2007 election.
Senator Erdey served on these committees: (1) Capital Outlay, (2) Enivronmental Quality, (3) Health and Welfare, (4) Revenue and Fiscal Affairs, and (5) Transportation, Highways, and Public Works as the vice chair.[2] In 2010, Erdey supported the positions of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry 59 percent of the time. In 2009 and 2010, he backed the Louisiana Family Forum 89 percent of the time. In 2009, he was ranked 100 percent by the Louisiana Right to Life Federation. In 2001, as a House member, Erdey was rated 0 percent by Louisiana Planned Parenthood. In 2011, Erdey voted to make permanent an increase in the state tobacco tax, but the veto of the measure by Governor Bobby Jindal was upheld by the legislature.[2]
Erdey claims to have voted to reduce taxes by more than $1 billion in the six legislative sessions prior to 2012. He voted to repeal the Stelly Plan, a state income tax and sales tax transfer plan authored by former Representative Vic Stelly of Calcasieu Parish. He advocated the repeal of the state inheritance and gift taxes. He has also worked to increase funding for public education and major highway and major infrastructure projects in his district. he also voted to triple his salary.[3] In the primary election held on October 22, 2011, Erdey won his second term by defeating his fellow Republican, Derek Babcock, 19,831 votes (64.8 percent) to 10,785 (35.2 percent). No Democrat ran in the district.[6]
Erdey won his third and final Senate term in 2015 with 16,731 votes (64.6 percent) to 9,181 (35.4 percent) for his opponent, fellow Republican Derek Babcock.[7]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Senator Dale M. Erdey. Louisiana Governmental Studies. Retrieved on March 26, 2020.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Senator Dale M. Erdey. votesmart.org. Retrieved on March 25, 2020.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Dale Erdey Running for Reelection in State Senate, August 24, 2011. centralspeaks.com. Retrieved on August 31, 2011.
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 23, 1999.
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 20, 1999.
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 22, 2011.
- ↑ {Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 24, 2015.
