Changes

|office=[[Louisiana]] State Senator for District 38 (Caddo and DeSoto parishes)

|office=[[Louisiana]] State Senator for District 38 (Caddo and DeSoto parishes)

|term_start=January 11, 2016

|term_start=January 11, 2016

|term_end=

|term_end=January 2020

|preceded=Sherri Smith Cheek Buffington

|preceded=Sherri Smith Cheek Buffington

}}

}}

'''John Charles Milkovich''' (born May 26, 1957)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Home/Home?uid=629384|title=John Milkovich, May 1957|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=November 22, 2015}}</ref> is an [[attorney]] in [[Shreveport]], [[Louisiana]], who is a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] member of the Louisiana State Senate. On January 11, 2016, he succeeded the term-limited District 38 [[Moderate Republican]] Sherri Smith Cheek Buffington, who completed three terms in the chamber, having first been elected in 2003.

'''John Charles Milkovich''' (born May 26, 1957)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Home/Home?uid=629384|title=John Milkovich, May 1957|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=November 22, 2015}}</ref> is an [[attorney]] in [[Shreveport]], [[Louisiana]], who is a departing [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] member of the Louisiana State Senate. On January 11, 2016, he succeeded the term-limited District 38 [[Moderate Republican]], Sherri Smith Cheek Buffington, who completed three terms in the chamber, having first been elected in 2003.

==Background==

==Background==

On April 29, 2019, in a speech on the state Senate floor, the strongly pro-life Milkovich flatly declared that [[vaccination]]s are linked to [[autism]]. In a speech on the Senate floor, Milkovich recalled that “autism did not exist” when he was growing up in Montana: "Did you know tissue from aborted babies is now used in vaccines. Did you know that vaccines use [[aluminum]], which is shown to be a neurotoxin? Did you know vaccines in America [are] preserved often with [[mercury]], which is beyond neurotoxic?”<ref name=autism>{{cite web|url=https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/article_0c13f5ea-6ad7-11e9-876a-b3|title=Louisiana senator links vaccines, autism on Senate floor; officials say 'myth' causes measles resurgence|author=Sam Karlin|date=April 29, 2019|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|accessdate=April 30, 2019}}</ref> Dr. Joe Kanter, the assistant state health officer, disputed Milkovich's claim as "a myth." Kanter said that the issue of autism and vaccination has been “incredibly well studied”, and no correlation has been found.<ref name=autism/>

On April 29, 2019, in a speech on the state Senate floor, the strongly pro-life Milkovich flatly declared that [[vaccination]]s are linked to [[autism]]. In a speech on the Senate floor, Milkovich recalled that “autism did not exist” when he was growing up in Montana: "Did you know tissue from aborted babies is now used in vaccines. Did you know that vaccines use [[aluminum]], which is shown to be a neurotoxin? Did you know vaccines in America [are] preserved often with [[mercury]], which is beyond neurotoxic?”<ref name=autism>{{cite web|url=https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/article_0c13f5ea-6ad7-11e9-876a-b3|title=Louisiana senator links vaccines, autism on Senate floor; officials say 'myth' causes measles resurgence|author=Sam Karlin|date=April 29, 2019|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|accessdate=April 30, 2019}}</ref> Dr. Joe Kanter, the assistant state health officer, disputed Milkovich's claim as "a myth." Kanter said that the issue of autism and vaccination has been “incredibly well studied”, and no correlation has been found.<ref name=autism/>

Despite Milkovich's stated conservative positions, statewide [[radio]] talk show host [[Moon Griffon]] is a critic of the lawmaker, whom he calls  "Milquetoast" Milkovich."<ref>''[[Moon Griffon|The Moon Griffon Show]]'', May 30, 2019.</ref> Milkovich faces two opponents in the October 12 primary election, fellow Democrat Katrina Early, an African-American [[insurance]] agent, and a Republican candidate, Barry Scott Milligan (born August 12, 1970), a [[business]]man who was reared in Rayne in Acadia Parish, near [[Lafayette]], before his family moved to Shreveport in 1982.

Despite Milkovich's stated conservative positions, statewide [[radio]] talk show host [[Moon Griffon]] is a critic of the lawmaker, whom he calls  "Milquetoast" Milkovich." Griffon claims that Milkovich has voted a directed by Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards.<ref>''[[Moon Griffon|The Moon Griffon Show]]'', May 30, 2019.</ref>  

 

Milkovich fell short in the October 12 primary with 8,447 votes (26 percent). Republican Barry Milliagn (born August 12, 1970), unseated Milkovich with 16,266 votes (50 percent). Also in the race was Democrat Katrina Early, an African-American [[insurance]] agent, who drew 7,359 votes (23 percent).>ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 12, 2019.</ref> Senator-elect Milligan (born August 12, 1970) is a [[business]]man who was reared in Rayne in Acadia Parish, near [[Lafayette]], before his family moved to Shreveport in 1982.

==References==

==References==