Changes

==Unseated, 1987==

==Unseated, 1987==

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From 1980-1988, Thompson was a colleague of [[Ron Gomez]], a Lafayette Democrat in neighboring District 44 who ultimately  switched parties but only after leaving the legislature. In his memoirs entitled ''My Name Is Ron And I'm a Recovering Legislator'', Gomez describes Thompson as his seat-mate, friend, and "chief mentor" who worked to get Gomez appointed to the Commerce and Ways and Means committees.<ref>[[Ron Gomez]], ''My Name Is Ron And I'm a Recovering Legislator: Memoirs of a Louisiana State Representative'' ([[Lafayette]], [[Louisiana]]: Zemog Publishing, 2000, pgs. 69, 80l ISBN 0-9700156-0-7</ref> In 1979, when Gomez won his first term in the House, Thompson prevailed by just over 800 votes against Democrat Mike Leblanc.<ref>Gomez, ''Recovering Legislator'', p. 37.</ref>​

From 1980-1988, Thompson was a colleague of [[Ron Gomez]], a Lafayette Democrat in neighboring District 44 who ultimately  switched parties but only after leaving the legislature. In his memoirs entitled,''My Name Is Ron And I'm a Recovering Legislator,' Gomez describes Thompson as his seat-mate, friend, and "chief mentor" who worked to get Gomez appointed to the Commerce and Ways and Means committees.<ref>[[Ron Gomez]], ''My Name Is Ron And I'm a Recovering Legislator: Memoirs of a Louisiana State Representative'' ([[Lafayette]], [[Louisiana]]: Zemog Publishing, 2000, pgs. 69, 80l ISBN 0-9700156-0-7</ref> In 1979, when Gomez won his first term in the House, Thompson prevailed by just over 800 votes against Democrat Mike Leblanc.<ref>Gomez, ''Recovering Legislator'', p. 37.</ref>​

 

In his last election contest in 1987, Thompson, the District 43 representative, was challenged by the independent Odon L. "Don" Bacqué, Jr., and the Democrat, Vance Lanier. Thompson led in the October 24 nonpartisan blanket primary with 7,345 votes (45 percent) to Bacqué's 6,473 (40 percent) and Lanier's 2,377 (15 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 24, 1987.</ref>In the November 21 general election, the Lanier backers swung strongly to Bacqué, who prevailed, 6,811 (57 percent) to Thompson's 5,106 ballots (43 percent). Thompson's defeat was also attributed to the failure of some 2,200 Republican voters who participated in the primary to return to the polls for the second round of balloting. The successful Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, Paul Jude Hardy, won in Lafayette Parish over the Democratic incumbent Robert "Bobby" Freeman at the same time that Thompson was going down to defeat.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 21, 1987.</ref>​

In his last election contest in 1987, Thompson, the District 43 representative, was challenged by the independent Odon L. "Don" Bacqué, Jr., and the Democrat, Vance Lanier. Thompson led in the October 24 nonpartisan blanket primary with 7,345 votes (45 percent) to Bacqué's 6,473 (40 percent) and Lanier's 2,377 (15 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 24, 1987.</ref>In the November 21 general election, the Lanier backers swung strongly to Bacqué, who prevailed, 6,811 (57 percent) to Thompson's 5,106 ballots (43 percent). Thompson's defeat was also attributed to the failure of some 2,200 Republican voters who participated in the primary to return to the polls for the second round of balloting. The successful Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, Paul Jude Hardy, won in Lafayette Parish over the Democratic incumbent Robert "Bobby" Freeman at the same time that Thompson was going down to defeat.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 21, 1987.</ref>​