Changes

|children=Joe McPherson, III

|children=Joe McPherson, III

|residence=Woodworth, Rapides Parish, Louisiana

|residence=Woodworth, Rapides Parish, Louisiana

|alma_mater=[[Northwestern State Univesityi]]<br>

|alma_mater=[[Northwestern State University]]<br>

[[Louisianan State University

[[Louisiana State University]]

|occupation=[[Business]]man}}

|occupation=[[Business]]man}}

'''William Joseph McPherson, Jr. ''', known as '''Joe McPherson''' (born December 18, 1950),[1] is a [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] former member of the Louisiana State Senate from Woodworth in Rapides Parish, a small community south of [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]]. McPherson's service extended from 1984 to 1996 and 2000 to 2012, when his last term expired.[2]  

'''William Joseph McPherson, Jr. ''', known as '''Joe McPherson''' (born December 18, 1950),[1] is a [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] former member of the Louisiana State Senate from Woodworth, a small community south of [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]] in Rapides Parish. McPherson's service extended from 1984 to 1996 and 2000 to 2012, when his last term expired.[2]  

McPherson graduated from [[Northwestern State University]] in [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]], Louisiana, and also attended [[Louisiana State University]] in the capital city of [[Baton Rouge]]. His business activities include retail, commercial property, and health care facilities. [3] He and his wife, Karen, have one son, Joe, III.[4]  

McPherson graduated from [[Northwestern State University]] in [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]], Louisiana, and also attended [[Louisiana State University]] in the capital city of [[Baton Rouge]]. His business activities include retail, commercial property, and health care facilities. [3] He and his wife, Karen, have one son, Joe, III.[4]  

In the meantime, McPherson lost an election for the [[United States House of Representatives in 1990 and twice for the Louisiana Public Service Commission, in the primary on October 21, 1995, and in a  [[special election]] on April 4, 2009. In 1990, McPherson, then residing in Pineville, challenged incumbent Republican U.S. Representative Clyde Cecil Holloway (1943-2016), a conservative from Forest Hill in south Rapides Parish in the since disbanded 8th congressional district.

In the meantime, McPherson lost an election for the [[United States House of Representatives in 1990 and twice for the Louisiana Public Service Commission, in the primary on October 21, 1995, and in a  [[special election]] on April 4, 2009. In 1990, McPherson, then residing in Pineville, challenged incumbent Republican U.S. Representative Clyde Cecil Holloway (1943-2016), a conservative from Forest Hill in south Rapides Parish in the since disbanded 8th congressional district.

Holloway won the 1990  race but was himself narrowly unseated in 1992 in a revised districting plan by a fellow Republican, Richard Hugh Baker of  Baton Rouge.  

Holloway won the 1990  race but was himself narrowly unseated in 1992 in a revised districting plan by a fellow Republican, Richard Hugh Baker of  Baton Rouge.  

In 1995, McPherson did not seek a fourth term in the Senate but instead challenged state Representative Dale Sittig of Eunice for the  District 4 seat on the Public Service Commission. Sittig polled 141,473 votes (52.8 percent) to McPherson's 126,452 (47.2 percent). Sittig cemented his margin with comfortable wins in his own St. Landry Parish as well as  Evangeline, Acadia, and Calcasieu parshes. Surprisingly, McPherson won his own Rapides Parish by fewer than two thousand votes. [11]

In 1995, McPherson did not seek a fourth term in the Senate but instead challenged state Representative Dale Sittig of Eunice for the  District 4 seat on the Public Service Commission. Sittig polled 141,473 votes (52.8 percent) to McPherson's 126,452 (47.2 percent). Sittig cemented his margin with comfortable wins in his own St. Landry Parish as well as  Evangeline, Acadia, and Calcasieu parshes. Surprisingly, McPherson won his own Rapides Parish by fewer than two thousand votes. [11]

   

   

Thirteen years later, Sittig resigned on September 15, 2008, from the PSC to accept the appointment from Governor [[Bobby Jindal]]  to the Louisiana Offshore Terminal Authority. McPherson then entered the special election for the PSC seat that Sittig had vacated. His rivals were Republican Clyde Holloway, whom he had opposed for Congress in 1990, and the Democrat-turned-Republican former State Representative Gil Pinac. Though he had predicted a solid victory on his website and trailed Holloway in the first round of balloting by only 648 raw votes (less than 1 percent), primarily because of a strong showing in [[Lake Charles]],[12] McPherson withdrew from the runoff election. Holloway thus claimed the PSC seat, his first elected position since 1993, when he left Congress.[13] In the meantime, Holloway lost attempts to return to the U.S. House in 1994, 1996, and 2002, and to be elected lieutenant governor in 2003 on an ill-fated ticket with former PSC member James A. "Jay" Blossman, who had left the commission by the time Holloway won the former Sittig seat.  

Thirteen years later, Sittig resigned on September 15, 2008, from the PSC to accept the appointment from Governor [[Bobby Jindal]]  to the Louisiana Offshore Terminal Authority. McPherson then entered the special election for the PSC seat that Sittig had vacated. His rivals were Republican Clyde Holloway, whom he had opposed for Congress in 1990, and the Democrat-turned-Republican former State Representative Gil Pinac. Though he had predicted a solid victory on his website and trailed Holloway in the first round of balloting by only 648 raw votes (less than 1 percent), primarily because of a strong showing in [[Lake Charles]],[12] McPherson withdrew from the runoff election. Holloway thus claimed the PSC seat, his first elected position since 1993, when he left Congress. [13] In the meantime, Holloway lost attempts to return to the U.S. House in 1994, 1996, and 2002, and to be elected lieutenant governor in 2003 on an ill-fated ticket with former PSC member James A. "Jay" Blossman, who had left the commission by the time Holloway won the former Sittig seat.  

==Senatorial voting record==

==Senatorial voting record==

McPherson was an ally of [[organized labor]] in the Senate, but his ratings from the pro-business interest group, the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry,  reached nearly 60 percent. The Louisiana National Federation of Independent Business ranked McPherson at 22 percent in support of its goals. Social conservatives often oppose him, but he has ranked nearly 80 percent in a rating from the Louisiana Family Forum.[14]  

McPherson was an ally of [[organized labor]] in the Senate, but his ratings from the pro-business interest group, the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry,  reached nearly 60 percent. The Louisiana National Federation of Independent Business ranked McPherson at 22 percent in support of its goals. Social conservatives often oppose him, but he has ranked nearly 80 percent in a rating from the Louisiana Family Forum. [14]  

In 2017, Democratic Governor [[John Bel Edwards]] appointed McPherson to serve on the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission.

In 2017, Democratic Governor [[John Bel Edwards]] appointed McPherson to serve on the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission.[15]

13. "Senator drops out of runoff for PSC", ''New Orleans Times-Picayune,'' April 14, 2009, p. B2.<br>  

13. "Senator drops out of runoff for PSC", ''New Orleans Times-Picayune,'' April 14, 2009, p. B2.<br>  

14. "Project Vote Smart: The Voter's Self-Defense System". Votesmart.org. Retrieved September 16, 2009.

14. "Project Vote Smart: The Voter's Self-Defense System". Votesmart.org. Retrieved September 16, 2009.

 

{{DEFAULTSORT:McPherson, Joe}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:McPherson, Joe}}

[[Category:Louisiana People]]

[[Category:Louisiana People]]