Changes

In the primary held in conjunction with the presidential election in which [[Donald Trump]] easily carried the Louisiana [[electoral vote]], Angelle led a 12-candidate field with 91,374 votes (28.6 percent). Higgins trailed in second place with 84,809 ballots (26.5 percent). Finishing third was the Democrat Jacob "Dorian Phibian" Hebert, with 28,358 votes (8.9 percent). In seventh place was the Republican former state Representative Brett Geymann of Lake Charles, with 21,606 (6.8 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Static#/2016-11-08/resultsRace/Congressional|title=Election Returns|date=November 8, 2016|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=November 9, 2016}}</ref> Higgins trailed Angelle by 6,624 votes out of 320,434 cast in the 12-man field.<ref name=childsupport/>

In the primary held in conjunction with the presidential election in which [[Donald Trump]] easily carried the Louisiana [[electoral vote]], Angelle led a 12-candidate field with 91,374 votes (28.6 percent). Higgins trailed in second place with 84,809 ballots (26.5 percent). Finishing third was the Democrat Jacob "Dorian Phibian" Hebert, with 28,358 votes (8.9 percent). In seventh place was the Republican former state Representative Brett Geymann of Lake Charles, with 21,606 (6.8 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Static#/2016-11-08/resultsRace/Congressional|title=Election Returns|date=November 8, 2016|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=November 9, 2016}}</ref> Higgins trailed Angelle by 6,624 votes out of 320,434 cast in the 12-man field.<ref name=childsupport/>

As Higgins headed into the runoff contest with Angelle, one of his former wives, Rosemary “Stormy” Rothkamm Hambrice, from whom he was divorced in 1999, filed a $140,826 suit against him for nonpayment of child support for their children, now all adults. The suit contends that Higgins halted child-support payments in Marcb 2005, when the youngest child was ten years of age. A judge in Orange County, [[Texas]], directed Higgins to begin paying Hambrice $1,289 per month.<ref name=childsupport>{{cite web|url=http://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/news/politics/elections/article_cebe9e74-a860-11e6-a359-97e4a64fbd9f.html?sr_source=lift_amplify|title=Clay Higgins, in runoff for 3rd District seat, faces child support lawsuit from former wife|publisher=''Baton Rouge Morning Advocate''|date=November 11, 2016|accessdate=November 13, 2016}}</ref> Higgins said he paid the $1,289  in child support until 2005, when his income was reduced after he became a full-time law-enforcement officer. Higgins added that he continues to help two of his grown children with housing and transportation expenses.

As Higgins headed into the runoff contest with Angelle, his second former wife, Rosemary “Stormy” Rothkamm Hambrice, from whom he was divorced in 1999, filed a $140,826 suit against him for nonpayment of child support for their children, now all adults. The suit contends that Higgins halted child-support payments in Marcb 2005, when the youngest child was ten years of age. A judge in Orange County, [[Texas]], directed Higgins to begin paying Hambrice $1,289 per month.<ref name=childsupport>{{cite web|url=http://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/news/politics/elections/article_cebe9e74-a860-11e6-a359-97e4a64fbd9f.html?sr_source=lift_amplify|title=Clay Higgins, in runoff for 3rd District seat, faces child support lawsuit from former wife|publisher=''Baton Rouge Morning Advocate''|date=November 11, 2016|accessdate=November 13, 2016}}</ref> Higgins said he paid the $1,289  in child support until 2005, when his income was reduced after he became a full-time law-enforcement officer. Higgins added that he continues to help two of his grown children with housing and transportation expenses.

Higgins claims that Hambrice, a paralegal, is a friend of Scott Angelle, whom Higgins now faces in the congressional runoff. The former wife never bothered to bring suit until Higgins entered the runoff election, he added.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/captclayhiggins/|title=Child Support?|publisher=[[Facebook]]|date=November 15, 2016|accessdate=November 16, 2016}}</ref>

Higgins claims that Hambrice, a paralegal, is a friend of Scott Angelle, whom Higgins faced in the congressional runoff. She did not bring suit until Higgins entered the runoff election, he added.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/captclayhiggins/|title=Child Support?|publisher=[[Facebook]]|date=November 15, 2016|accessdate=November 16, 2016}}</ref>

Higgins went to [[Washington, D.C.]], on a campaign fund-raising trip that coincided with orientation of new House members. He attended an orientation dinner but said that he was not assuming that he will defeat Angelle in the runoff contest. "I am here to raise money and for people to vet me. I'm meeting with people who need to shake my hand and look into my eyes and into my heart," he said.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/2016/11/16/premature-orientation-higgins-says-hes-dc-raise-money-not-mingle/93953264/|title=Premature orientation? Higgins says he's in D.C. to raise money, not mingle|author=Greg Hilburn and Deborah Barfield Berry|publisher=''Monroe News-Star''|date=November 16, 2016|accessdate=November 17, 2016}}</ref>

Higgins went to [[Washington, D.C.]], on a campaign fund-raising trip that coincided with orientation of new House members. He attended an orientation dinner but said that he was not assuming that he will defeat Angelle in the runoff contest. "I am here to raise money and for people to vet me. I'm meeting with people who need to shake my hand and look into my eyes and into my heart," he said.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/2016/11/16/premature-orientation-higgins-says-hes-dc-raise-money-not-mingle/93953264/|title=Premature orientation? Higgins says he's in D.C. to raise money, not mingle|author=Greg Hilburn and Deborah Barfield Berry|publisher=''Monroe News-Star''|date=November 16, 2016|accessdate=November 17, 2016}}</ref>

Runoff returns gave Higgins votes 77,670 votes (56 percent) to Angelle's 60,760 (44 percent). Higgins ran strongly throughout the district, particularly Acadia, Iberia, St. Landry, and St. Mary parishes but lost Calcasieu (Lake Charles) and Cameron parishes and finished with a near tie in St. Martin Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical

Runoff returns gave Higgins votes 77,670 votes (56 percent) to Angelle's 60,760 (44 percent). Higgins ran strongly throughout the district, particularly Acadia, Iberia, St. Landry, and St. Mary parishes but lost Calcasieu (Lake Charles) and Cameron parishes and finished with a near tie in St. Martin Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical

|title=Election Returns|date=December 10, 2016|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|date=December 10, 2016|accessdate=December 10, 2016}}</ref>

|title=Election Returns|date=December 10, 2016|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|date=December 10, 2016|accessdate=December 10, 2016}}</ref>

==References==

==References==