Changes

Ellington won the District 20 House seat in the  election held on November 17, 2007. Incumbent [[Lelon Kenney]]  of Columbia in Caldwell Parish was term-limited. Ellington hence defeated his runoff opponent, fellow Democrat Cleveland Webb "Cleve" Womack (1953-2018) of Jonesville in Catahoula Parish, 6,215 votes (52 percent) to 5,686 (48 percent). The district includes, Franklin, Catahoula, Caldwell, and two precincts in Tensas, the smallest of Louisiana's sixty-four parishes, which is located adjacent to the [[Mississippi River]].<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 17, 2007.</ref>​

Ellington won the District 20 House seat in the  election held on November 17, 2007. Incumbent [[Lelon Kenney]]  of Columbia in Caldwell Parish was term-limited. Ellington hence defeated his runoff opponent, fellow Democrat Cleveland Webb "Cleve" Womack (1953-2018) of Jonesville in Catahoula Parish, 6,215 votes (52 percent) to 5,686 (48 percent). The district includes, Franklin, Catahoula, Caldwell, and two precincts in Tensas, the smallest of Louisiana's sixty-four parishes, which is located adjacent to the [[Mississippi River]].<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 17, 2007.</ref>​

 

Ellington's former Senate District 32 includes in addition to Caldwell, Catahoula, and Franklin (also in the House district) the parishes of Concordia, La Salle Parish, and small portions of Ouachita and Rapides parishes. The House district is represented by its first ever Republican member, Neil Riser of Columbia, who was term-limited in the 2019 state election. By the time that Ellington left the Senate, the district lines had changed somewhat and included even a few precincts as far south as the northern portion of Avoyelles Parish.​

Ellington's former Senate District 32 includes in addition to Caldwell, Catahoula, and Franklin (also in the House district) the parishes of Concordia, La Salle Parish, and small portions of Ouachita and Rapides parishes. The House district is represented by its first ever Republican member, Neil Riser of Columbia, who was term-limited in the 2019 state election. By the time that Ellington left the Senate, the district lines had changed somewhat and included even a few precincts as far south as the northern portion of Avoyelles Parish.

 

In Ellington's first election to the House in 1987, he and intraparty rival Rodney R. "Rod" Elrod (born 1954) of Winnsboro led a field of seven Democrats and one independent. Ellington polled 3,640 (21 percent), and Elrod 3,063 (17 percent). Ellington then defeated Elrod in the runoff contest.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 24, 1987.</ref>​

In Ellington's first election to the House in 1987, he and intraparty rival Rodney R. "Rod" Elrod (born 1954) of Winnsboro led a field of seven Democrats and one independent. Ellington polled 3,640 (21 percent), and Elrod 3,063 (17 percent). Ellington then defeated Elrod in the runoff contest.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 24, 1987.</ref>​

 

Four years later in 1991, Ellington overwhelmed intra-party rival Dennis Grady Stewart (born 1953) of Rayville in Richland Parish, 13,211 (72 percent) to 5,060 (28 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 19, 1991.</ref> In 1995, Ellington first won his Senate seat, when the incumbent Democrat Steve D. Thompson of Winnsboro, did not seek a third term. He went into a general election with fellow Democrat Roy Eugene Hebron (born 1954) of Ball in northern Rapides Parish, 19,325 votes (48 percent) to 16,076 (40 percent). [[Independent]] candidate Paul A. Nugent received the critical 5,048 remaining votes (12 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 21, 1995.</ref> In the following one-on-one match with Hebron, Ellington prevailed, 21,703 (53 percent) to 19,180 (47 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 18, 1995.</ref>​

Four years later in 1991, Ellington overwhelmed intra-party rival Dennis Grady Stewart (born 1953) of Rayville in Richland Parish, 13,211 (72 percent) to 5,060 (28 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 19, 1991.</ref> In 1995, Ellington first won his Senate seat, when the incumbent Democrat Steve D. Thompson of Winnsboro, did not seek a third term. He went into a general election with fellow Democrat Roy Eugene Hebron (born 1954) of Ball in northern Rapides Parish, 19,325 votes (48 percent) to 16,076 (40 percent). [[Independent]] candidate Paul A. Nugent received the critical 5,048 remaining votes (12 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 21, 1995.</ref> In the following one-on-one match with Hebron, Ellington prevailed, 21,703 (53 percent) to 19,180 (47 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 18, 1995.</ref>​

 

Ellington handily won reelection to the Senate on October 23, 1991, when he defeated his first and only Republican opponent, Larry Bruce Minton (born 1945 of [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]] in Rapides Parish),<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 23, 1999.</ref> In 2003, Ellington won his last Senate term in an easy contest with fellow Democrat James "Jim" Hearns (born 1952) of Columbia, 27,021 (80 percent) to 6,497 (20 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 4, 2003.</ref>​

Ellington handily won reelection to the Senate on October 23, 1991, when he defeated his first and only Republican opponent, Larry Bruce Minton (born 1945 of [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]] in Rapides Parish),<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 23, 1999.</ref> In 2003, Ellington won his last Senate term in an easy contest with fellow Democrat James "Jim" Hearns (born 1952) of Columbia, 27,021 (80 percent) to 6,497 (20 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 4, 2003.</ref>​

 

==Party bolt==​

===Party bolt===​

On December 9, 2010, Ellington announced that he was likely to switch to Republican affiliation to seek renewed membership in the state House of Representatives in 2011. Three other Democrats announced that same month that they had switched affiliation, [[John Alario]] of Westwego in Jefferson Parish,  [[Fred Mills]] of St. Martinville,  and Simone B. Champagne of Iberia Parish, following the departure two years earlier of John R. Smith of Leesville. Ellington and Smith had been the top recipients of legislative campaign contributions from Koch Industries and its subsidiaries in the state, in the election cycles before their party switches.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.followthemoney.org|title=National Institute on Money in State Politics|publisher=followthemoney.org|accessdate=September 1, 2012}}</ref>  On December 17, 2010, Ellington made the switch official; his move gave the stzate GOP its first majority in the Louisiana House since [[Reconstruction]].

On December 9, 2010, Ellington announced that he was likely to switch to Republican affiliation to seek renewed membership in the state House of Representatives in 2011. Three other Democrats announced that same month that they had switched affiliation, [[John Alario]] of Westwego in Jefferson Parish,  [[Fred Mills]] of St. Martinville,  and Simone B. Champagne of Iberia Parish, following the departure two years earlier of John R. Smith of Leesville. Ellington and Smith had been the top recipients of legislative campaign contributions from Koch Industries and its subsidiaries in the state, in the election cycles before their party switches.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.followthemoney.org|title=National Institute on Money in State Politics|publisher=followthemoney.org|accessdate=September 1, 2012}}</ref>  On December 17, 2010, Ellington made the switch official; his move gave the stzate GOP its first majority in the Louisiana House since [[Reconstruction]].

<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/12/louisiana_republicans_take_fir.html|title=Ellington gives GOP majority in House: Legislative veteran switches parties​|author=Bill Barrow|publisher=''The New Orleans Times-Picayune''|date=December 18, 2010|page=3A}}</ref> With Ellington's switch, the Louisiana House of Representatives had fifty-three Republicans, four members with no party affiliation, and forty-eight Democrats.</ref>​

<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/12/louisiana_republicans_take_fir.html|title=Ellington gives GOP majority in House: Legislative veteran switches parties​|author=Bill Barrow|publisher=''The New Orleans Times-Picayune''|date=December 18, 2010|page=3A}}</ref> With Ellington's switch, the Louisiana House of Representatives had fifty-three Republicans, four members with no party affiliation, and forty-eight Democrats.</ref>

 

Ellington explained that this party switch is "historically significant, but the truth is I've been a conservative for my entire career, so it won't affect the way I vote. ... I found myself farther and farther away from what has become the liberal philosophy of the national party. My way of thinking, which falls along a more conservative line, has been shrinking within the party. At least nationally, the Republican Party seems to fit my philosophy more than the current Democratic Party."<ref name=switches>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20101218/NEWS01/12180346/Ellington-switches​|title = Ellington switches: First GOP House majority since Reconstruction|publisher=''The Monroe News-Star''|date=December 18,2 010|author=[[Greg Hilburn]]}}</ref>​

Ellington explained that this party switch is "historically significant, but the truth is I've been a conservative for my entire career, so it won't affect the way I vote. ... I found myself farther and farther away from what has become the liberal philosophy of the national party. My way of thinking, which falls along a more conservative line, has been shrinking within the party. At least nationally, the Republican Party seems to fit my philosophy more than the current Democratic Party."<ref name=switches>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20101218/NEWS01/12180346/Ellington-switches​|title = Ellington switches: First GOP House majority since Reconstruction|publisher=''The Monroe News-Star''|date=December 18,2 010|author=[[Greg Hilburn]]}}</ref>​

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