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'''Francis Coleman Thompson''' (born October 29, 1941)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/francis-thompson/e820551711210|title=Francis Thompson of Delhi,

'''Francis Coleman Thompson''' (born October 29, 1941)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/francis-thompson/e820551711210|title=Francis Thompson of Delhi,

Louisiana|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=July 19, 2019}}</ref> is a wealthy developer from Delhi in Richland Parish, [[Louisiana]]. He served as a senior [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1975 until 2007. Then by virtue of term limits, Thompson was ineligible to have sought a ninth four-year term in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 20, 2007.

Louisiana|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=July 19, 2019}}</ref> is a wealthy developer from Delhi in Richland Parish, [[Louisiana]], who served as a senior [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1975 until 2007. Then by virtue of term limits, Thompson was ineligible to have sought a ninth four-year term in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 20, 2007.

Instead, Thompson was elected outright over two fellow Democrats to the District 34 seat in the Louisiana State Senate vacated by the also term-limited Charles Jones (born 1950) of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]]. Thompson received 13,763 votes (51 percent) to 10,937 (42 percent) for [[African-American]] State Representative Willie Hunter, Jr., of Monroe and 2,113 (8 percent) for Paxton J. Branch.<ref>Louisiana election returns, Secretary of STate's office, October 20, 2007.</ref> Ten days after he vacated the seat to Thompson, Charles Jones was charged with two counts of making and subscribing a false federal income tax return and one count of tax evasion.<ref>''The Monroe News-Star, January 25, 2008</ref> Hunter charged irregularities in the primary election in part on grounds that certain Thompson supporters in heavily black East Carroll Parish distributed food packages to the poor with instructions that they should vote for Francis Thompson to maintain such assistance.<ref>''The Monroe News-Star,'' November 10, 2007.</ref>

Instead, Thompson was elected outright over two fellow Democrats to the District 34 seat in the Louisiana State Senate vacated by the also term-limited Charles Jones (born 1950) of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]]. Thompson received 13,763 votes (51 percent) to 10,937 (42 percent) for [[African-American]] State Representative Willie Hunter, Jr., of Monroe and 2,113 (8 percent) for Paxton J. Branch.<ref>Louisiana election returns, Secretary of STate's office, October 20, 2007.</ref> Ten days after he vacated the seat to Thompson, Charles Jones was charged with two counts of making and subscribing a false federal income tax return and one count of tax evasion.<ref>''The Monroe News-Star, January 25, 2008</ref> Hunter charged irregularities in the primary election in part on grounds that certain Thompson supporters in heavily black East Carroll Parish distributed food packages to the poor with instructions that they should vote for Francis Thompson to maintain such assistance.<ref>''The Monroe News-Star,'' November 10, 2007.</ref>

In addition to his own Richland Parish, Thompson's House district included all or portions of East Carroll, Madison, Morehouse, Ouachita, and West Carroll parishes in northeast Louisiana. His Senate district included all or parts parts of Concordia, East Carroll, Madison, Ouachita, Richland, and Tensas parishes.

In addition to his own Richland Parish, Thompson's House district included all or portions of East Carroll, Madison, Morehouse, Ouachita, and West Carroll parishes in northeast Louisiana. His Senate district included all or parts parts of Concordia, East Carroll, Madison, Ouachita, Richland, and Tensas parishes.

Now term-limited in the state Senate, Thompson is seeking to return to his former House seat being vacated by the term-limited Charles "Bubba" Chabey. The primary election is October 12, 2019.

Now term-limited in the state Senate, Thompson is seeking to return to his former House seat being vacated by the term-limited Charles "Bubba" Chabey, a Democrat-turned-[[Republican Party|Republican]]. The primary election is October 12, 2019.

==Background==

==Background==

Thompson graduated from Delhi High School in 1959. He received his Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from [[Louisiana Tech University]] in [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]] in Lincoln Parish. He also procured an Ed.D. degree from the University of Louisiana at Monroe (then Northeast Louisiana University). Thompson was a teacher from 1963-1965, but he vacated the classroom to become vice president of a manufacturing company from 1965-1972. Later, he  Deto the classroom as a ULM assistant professor of education.[1]

Thompson graduated from Delhi High School in 1959. He received his Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from [[Louisiana Tech University]] in [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]] in Lincoln Parish. He also procured an Ed.D. degree from the University of Louisiana at Monroe (then Northeast Louisiana University). Thompson was a teacher from 1963-1965, but he vacated the classroom to become vice president of a manufacturing company from 1965-1972. Later, he  Deto the classroom as a ULM assistant professor of education.[1]

From 1968 to 1975, Thompson was an elected member of the Richland Parish School Board.[1] He won a special election in 1975 to fill the House seat vacated by the resignation of Democrat Benny Gay Christian (1925-1982),<ref>"Social Security Death Index". ssdi.rootsweb.com. Retrieved January 2, 2010; now under pay wall.</ref> who had served in the state House since 1964. Later in the year, Thompson won a full term in the seat, which in time became the single-member District 19. Prior to his legislative years, Thompson worked in [[Baton Rouge]] for the Louisiana Department of Education under Superintendent Louis J. Michot from 1974-1975. He was a member of the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement from 1973 to 1974. Thompson has also been a member of the Southern Regional Education Board and the Education Commission of the States. He has been active in the Retarded Children's Association and the Louisiana Mental Health Drug Advisory Council. He is a member of the Masonic lodge and the Lions International.

From 1968 to 1975, Thompson was an elected member of the Richland Parish School Board. He won a special election in 1975 to fill the House seat vacated by the resignation of Democrat Benny Gay Christian (1925-1982),<ref>"Social Security Death Index". ssdi.rootsweb.com. Retrieved January 2, 2010; now under pay wall.</ref> who had served in the state House since 1964. Later in the year, Thompson won a full term in the seat, which in time became the single-member District 19. Prior to his legislative years, Thompson worked in [[Baton Rouge]] for the Louisiana Department of Education under Superintendent Louis J. Michot from 1974-1975. He was a member of the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement from 1973 to 1974. Thompson has also been a member of the Southern Regional Education Board and the Education Commission of the States. He has been active in the Retarded Children's Association and the Louisiana Mental Health Drug Advisory Council. He is a member of the Masonic lodge and the Lions International.

Thompson is married to the former Marilyn Bryant (born October 6, 1944)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/marilyn-thompson/e820695603978|title=Marilyn Thompson of Delhi, Louisiana|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=July 19, 2019}}</ref> The couple resides 456 Robin Hood Lane in Delhi. There are three Thompson children: Francis Todd Thompson (born c. 1963) of Baton Rouge, Brant L. Thompson (born April 1, 1965) of Delhi, and Melissa T. Blanchfield of Baton Rouge.<ref>Net Detective, People Search.</ref> Thompson is a [[Presbyterian]].

Thompson is married to the former Marilyn Bryant (born October 6, 1944)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/marilyn-thompson/e820695603978|title=Marilyn Thompson of Delhi, Louisiana|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=July 19, 2019}}</ref> The couple resides 456 Robin Hood Lane in Delhi. There are three Thompson children: Francis Todd Thompson (born April 3, 1964) and Brant L. Thompson (born April 1, 1965), both of Delhi, and Melissa T. Blanchfield of Baton Rouge.<ref>Net Detective, People Search.</ref> Thompson is a [[Presbyterian]].

Thompson's brother and the oldest of his five siblings, Clyde Nolan Thompson (April 25, 1937 &mdash; July 31, 2015), was a multi-sport athlete at Louisiana Tech who for twenty years held the school record for stolen bases. He was also a Tech football quarterback. With his doctorate in professional education from the University of Southern Mississippi at Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Clyde Thompson was a teacher and coach in several Louisiana high school and then at Louisiana Tech. In 1975, he became the drug education coordinator for District 8 for the Louisiana Department of Education. In 1980, Republican Governor [[David C. Treen]] named Clyde Thompson, like his brother a Democrat, as the deputy director of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. He then became the assistant to the president of the State Board of Education before he returned to Delhi and became the director of the Madison Parish Port, a position which he held for more than two decades until retirement in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/150074010/clyde-nolan-thompson|title=Clyde Nolan Thompson|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=July 19, 2019}}</ref>

Thompson's brother and the oldest of his five siblings, Clyde Nolan Thompson (April 25, 1937 &mdash; July 31, 2015), was a multi-sport athlete at Louisiana Tech who for twenty years held the school record for stolen bases. He was also a Tech football quarterback. With his doctorate in professional education from the University of Southern Mississippi at Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Clyde Thompson was a teacher and coach in several Louisiana high school and then at Louisiana Tech. In 1975, he became the drug education coordinator for District 8 for the Louisiana Department of Education. In 1980, Republican Governor [[David C. Treen]] named Clyde Thompson, like his brother a Democrat, as the deputy director of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. He then became the assistant to the president of the State Board of Education before he returned to Delhi and became the director of the Madison Parish Port, a position which he held for more than two decades until retirement in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/150074010/clyde-nolan-thompson|title=Clyde Nolan Thompson|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=July 19, 2019}}</ref>

In 2005, Francis Thompson was inducted into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield.<ref>New inductions, Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame," Cityofwinnfield.com., accessed August 22, 2009.</ref> In 2015, he was unopposed for reelection to the Senate.

In 2005, Francis Thompson was inducted into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield.<ref>New inductions, Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame," Cityofwinnfield.com., accessed August 22, 2009.</ref> In 2015, he was unopposed for reelection to the Senate.

In 2017, Thompson successfully introduced legislation to name the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts in [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]] in honor of the late state Representative Jimmy D. Long, who was among those instrumental in establishment of the institution through Long's chairmanship of the House Education Committee.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ksla.com/story/35592915/house-approves-renaming-louisiana-school-for-math-science-and-the-arts/|title=House approves renaming Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts|publisher=KSA-TV|date=June 5, 2017|accessdate=July 19, 2019}}</ref>

In 2017, Thompson successfully introduced legislation to name the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts in [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]] in honor of the late state Representative Jimmy D. Long, who was among those instrumental in establishment of the institution through Long's chairmanship of the House Education Committee.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ksla.com/story/35592915/house-approves-renaming-louisiana-school-for-math-science-and-the-arts/|title=House approves renaming Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts|publisher=KSA-TV|date=June 5, 2017|accessdate=July 19, 2019}}</ref>