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'''Terry Lamar Gardner''', known as '''TG Gardner''' (born May 18, 1954), is a [[business]]man who is the incoming [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[mayor]] of [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]], [[Louisiana]], the fourth member of his party to hold the position since 1966. A victor by thirty-seven votes in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on November 6, 2018, Gardner assumes office on January 1, 2019.

'''Terry Lamar Gardner''', known as '''TG Gardner''' (born May 18, 1954),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/terry-gardner/e307815533226|title=Terry Gardner, Minden, Louisiana|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=November 28, 2018}}</ref> is a [[business]]man who is the incoming [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[mayor]] of [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]], [[Louisiana]], the fourth member of his party to hold the position since 1966. A victor by thirty-seven votes in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on November 6, 2018, Gardner assumes office on January 1, 2019.

A native of [[Shreveport]], Gardner moved to Minden in 1978.<ref name=ksla/> He is the only mayor of Minden who previously lost three races for the city council before becoming mayor. In 2003, running as a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], he lost a council race to  incumbent Republican Robert Drew White (born October 28, 1966), the son of a former Minden city attorney and the grandson of a state representative descended from one of the earliest families in Webster Parish. In 2006, still a Democrat, he lost the council race to Republican Marvin Thomas "Tommy" Davis (born September 29, 1942), his predecessor as mayor. In 2014, running for the first time as a Republican, Gardner was defeated, 64 to 36 percent, by fellow Republican Michael Scott "Mike" Toland (born October 28, 1959), who did not seek reelection to the council  in 2018.

A native of [[Shreveport]], Gardner moved to Minden in 1978.<ref name=ksla/> He is the only mayor of Minden who previously lost three races for the city council before becoming mayor. In 2003, running as a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], he lost a council race to  incumbent Republican Robert Drew White (born October 28, 1966), the son of a former Minden city attorney and the grandson of a state representative descended from one of the earliest families in Webster Parish. In 2006, still a Democrat, he lost the council race to Republican Marvin Thomas "Tommy" Davis (born September 29, 1942), his predecessor as mayor. In 2014, running for the first time as a Republican, Gardner was defeated, 64 to 36 percent, by fellow Republican Michael Scott "Mike" Toland (born October 28, 1959), who did not seek reelection to the council  in 2018.

When Mayor Davis stepped down after five years in the position, Gardner ran against the only Democrat in the race, William Kerry "Winky" Newer (born June 4, 1962), the previous long-term municipal recreation director.  Newer said that had he been elected he would seek to strengthen municipal financial growth." I will continue our attempts to lower the electrical rates by all means possible. We must continue our effort to attract new industry and business to our area," he said.

When Mayor Davis stepped down after five years in the position, Gardner ran against the only Democrat in the race, William Kerry "Winky" Newer (born June 4, 1962), the previous long-term municipal recreation director.  Newer said that had he been elected he would have sought to strengthen municipal financial growth." I will continue our attempts to lower the electrical rates by all means possible. We must continue our effort to attract new industry and business to our area," he said.

Gardner is the founder of the Gardner Group, which owns several businesses in downtown Minden. “The citizens of Minden are just remarkable. I want to run for mayor of Minden because Minden has been so good to me over the last thirty-five years. They’ve supported me and my businesses and enabled us to grow our businesses.”<ref name=ksla>{{cite web|url=http://www.ksla.com/2018/10/11/two-vying-be-mindens-mayor/|title=Two vying to be Minden's mayor|publisher=KSLA ([[CBS]} in Shreveport)|date=October 10, 2018|author=Christian Piekes|accessdate=November 28, 2018}}</ref>Gardner said that he opposes increasing municipal fees and taxes and would if elected instead seek to upgrade the municipal infrastructure through the hiring of a full-time grants writer, who would seek revenues from outside sources.<ref name=tgg/>

Gardner is the founder of the Gardner Group, which owns several businesses in downtown Minden. “The citizens of Minden are just remarkable. I want to run for mayor of Minden because Minden has been so good to me over the last thirty-five years. They’ve supported me and my businesses and enabled us to grow our businesses.”<ref name=ksla>{{cite web|url=http://www.ksla.com/2018/10/11/two-vying-be-mindens-mayor/|title=Two vying to be Minden's mayor|publisher=KSLA ([[CBS]} in Shreveport)|date=October 10, 2018|author=Christian Piekes|accessdate=November 28, 2018}}</ref> Gardner said that he opposes increasing municipal fees and taxes and would if elected instead seek to upgrade the municipal infrastructure through the hiring of a full-time grants writer, who would seek revenues from outside sources.<ref name=tgg/>

In a campaign characterized primarily by the aggressive display of yard signs, Gardner emerged victorious over Newer, 2,164 to 2,127. Turnout was 53.7 percent of registered voters.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=Election Returns|date=November 6, 2018|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=November 28, 2018}}</ref>

In a campaign characterized primarily by the aggressive display of yard signs, Gardner emerged victorious over Newer, 2,164 to 2,127. Turnout was 53.7 percent of registered voters.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=Election Returns|date=November 6, 2018|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=November 28, 2018}}</ref>