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Peacock assumed his Senate seat on January 9, 2012, as the successor to the retiring Republican Senator B. L. "Buddy" Shaw of Shreveport. He won the position in the [[general election]] held on November 19, 2011, when he defeated the term-limited Republican State Representative Jane H. Smith, a former school superintendent from Bossier City. Peacock polled 10,331 votes (55.5 percent) to Smith's 8,295 votes (44.5 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/10222011/10222011_Legislative.html|title=Louisiana primary election returns, October 22, 2011|publisher=staticresults.sos.la.gov|accessdate=October 22, 2011}}</ref>

Peacock assumed his Senate seat on January 9, 2012, as the successor to the retiring Republican Senator B. L. "Buddy" Shaw of Shreveport. He won the position in the [[general election]] held on November 19, 2011, when he defeated the term-limited Republican State Representative Jane H. Smith, a former school superintendent from Bossier City. Peacock polled 10,331 votes (55.5 percent) to Smith's 8,295 votes (44.5 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/10222011/10222011_Legislative.html|title=Louisiana primary election returns, October 22, 2011|publisher=staticresults.sos.la.gov|accessdate=October 22, 2011}}</ref>

   

   

In the 2011 campaign, Jane Smith alleged that Peacock is "open-minded" regarding [[abortion]] and same-sex marriage. Peacock replied to the allegation by stressing his [[pro-life]] stance and his opposition to marriage by individuals of the same sex. Peacock charged that Smith had voted thirty times for tax increases, some of which were concealed by the state and compelled private companies, such as rental car agencies and utility firms, to collect taxes disguised as "fees." Peacock also said that Smith had voted to require insurance companies to cover [[contraception]] and medications to induce abortions. Smith also voted against allowing homeschoolers to participate in public school athletic programs. Peacock noted that Smith had a 38 percent rating from the [[conservative]] [[Louisiana Family Forum]] in 2004 but had improved her ratings in most subsequent years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nwlatpa.ning.com/page/barrow-peacock-defends-his-pro-life-record|title="Barrow Peacock defends his pro-life record"|publisher=nwlatpa.ning.com|accessdate=February 8, 2012}}</ref>

In the 2011 campaign, Jane Smith alleged that Peacock is "open-minded" regarding [[abortion]] and same-sex marriage. Peacock replied to the allegation by stressing his [[pro-life]] stance and his opposition to marriage by individuals of the same sex. Peacock charged that Smith had voted thirty times for tax increases, some of which were concealed by the state and compelled private companies, such as rental car agencies and utility firms, to collect taxes disguised as "fees." Peacock also said that Smith had voted to require insurance companies to cover [[contraception]] and medications to induce abortions. Smith also voted against allowing homeschoolers to participate in public school athletic programs. Peacock noted that Smith had a 38 percent rating from the [[conservative]] Louisiana Family Forum in 2004 but had improved her ratings in most subsequent years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nwlatpa.ning.com/page/barrow-peacock-defends-his-pro-life-record|title="Barrow Peacock defends his pro-life record"|publisher=nwlatpa.ning.com|accessdate=February 8, 2012}}</ref>

    

    

Peacock attributed his victory to door-to-door electioneering: "That's the way I learn what's important to the voters and the voters get to ask me a direct question.  No barrier, nothing between us."<ref name=ksla>{{cite web|url=http://www.ksla.com/story/15787195/senate-dist-37-peacock-defeats-smith|title=Senate Dist. 37: Peacock defeats Smith|publisher=KSLA-TV|accessdate=February 8, 2012}}</ref>Buddy Shaw described Peacock's victory as a David-versus-Goliath victory because of Governor Bobby Jindal's strong endorsement of Smith.<ref name=ksla/>

Peacock attributed his victory to door-to-door electioneering: "That's the way I learn what's important to the voters and the voters get to ask me a direct question.  No barrier, nothing between us."<ref name=ksla>{{cite web|url=http://www.ksla.com/story/15787195/senate-dist-37-peacock-defeats-smith|title=Senate Dist. 37: Peacock defeats Smith|publisher=KSLA-TV|accessdate=February 8, 2012}}</ref>Buddy Shaw described Peacock's victory as a David-versus-Goliath victory because of Governor Bobby Jindal's strong endorsement of Smith.<ref name=ksla/>

   

   

On October 20, 2007, Peacock finished third in the Senate primary election with 4,620 votes (18 percent). The two top votegetters in the race, Republicans Billy Montgomey and B. L. Shaw, met in the general election, in which Shaw emerged victorious.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Primary election returns, October 20, 2007</ref> Peacock also made two unsuccessful races for the Louisiana House in District 6, the most recent in a low-turnout [[special election]] held on February 9, 2008, against Republican Thomas G. Carmody, who prevailed with 4,027 votes (52 percent) to Peacock's 3,709 ballots (48 percent), a considerable improvement over Peacock's first race for the House when he polled 13 percent of the ballots.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Special legislative election, February 9, 2008</ref><ref name=jindal/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bossierpress.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3392:ever-wonder-why-barrow-peacock-keeps-running-for-office&catid=7:other-opinion&Itemid=144 |title=Lou Gehrig Burnett, "Ever wonder why Barrow Peacock keeps running for office"|publisher=bossierpress.com, June 1, 2011|accessdate=February 1, 2012}}</ref>

On October 20, 2007, Peacock finished third in the Senate primary election with 4,620 votes (18 percent). The two top votegetters in the race, Republicans Billy Montgomey and B. L. Shaw, met in the general election, in which Shaw emerged victorious.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Primary election returns, October 20, 2007</ref> Peacock also made two unsuccessful races for the Louisiana House in District 6, the most recent in a low-turnout special election held on February 9, 2008, against Republican Thomas G. Carmody, who prevailed with 4,027 votes (52 percent) to Peacock's 3,709 ballots (48 percent), a considerable improvement over Peacock's first race for the House when he polled 13 percent of the ballots.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Special legislative election, February 9, 2008</ref><ref name=jindal/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bossierpress.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3392:ever-wonder-why-barrow-peacock-keeps-running-for-office&catid=7:other-opinion&Itemid=144 |title=Lou Gehrig Burnett, "Ever wonder why Barrow Peacock keeps running for office"|publisher=bossierpress.com, June 1, 2011|accessdate=February 1, 2012}}</ref>

   

   

Upon taking office as senator, Peacock cast the only vote against Republican Governor Bobby Jindal's choice of John Alario, a [[Democrat]]-turned-Republican from Westwego in Jefferson Parish, to become the new president of the state Senate, succeeding the term-limited former Senator Joel Chaisson of Destrehan. In the campaign against Jane Smith, Peacock had voiced his opposition to Alario because the veteran lawmaker had been a key legislative ally in the state House during the four administrations of former Democratic Governor [[Edwin Edwards]] and had seemed unenthusiastic when he switched parties after so many years as a Democrat. Alario in turn gave Peacock the least-desired assignments in the chamber -- on the Retirement and Labor committees. "We'll have our differences, but we can still be colleagues and be sociable," said Peacock, who then hitched a ride with Alario's son  from Baton Rouge to [[New Orleans]] for the LSU-[[University of Alabama football game.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessreport.com/article/20120123/BUSINESSREPORT0203/301239986|title=John Maginnis, "Standing Up to Jindal", January 23, 2012|publisher=businessreport.com|accessdate=January 31, 2012}}</ref>

Upon taking office as senator, Peacock cast the only vote against Republican Governor Bobby Jindal's choice of John Alario, a [[Democrat]]-turned-Republican from Westwego in Jefferson Parish, to become the new president of the state Senate, succeeding the term-limited former Senator Joel Chaisson of Destrehan. In the campaign against Jane Smith, Peacock had voiced his opposition to Alario because the veteran lawmaker had been a key legislative ally in the state House during the four administrations of former Democratic Governor [[Edwin Edwards]] and had seemed unenthusiastic when he switched parties after so many years as a Democrat. Alario in turn gave Peacock the least-desired assignments in the chamber -- on the Retirement and Labor committees. "We'll have our differences, but we can still be colleagues and be sociable," said Peacock, who then hitched a ride with Alario's son  from Baton Rouge to [[New Orleans]] for the LSU-[[University of Alabama football game.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessreport.com/article/20120123/BUSINESSREPORT0203/301239986|title=John Maginnis, "Standing Up to Jindal", January 23, 2012|publisher=businessreport.com|accessdate=January 31, 2012}}</ref>

==References==

==References==