Changes

==Legislative career==

==Legislative career==

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Lambert was elected to the House in 2003, when he upset the incumbent Republican Juba Diez. In the primary, Lambert and another Republican, George Cabanas, polled 6,581 votes (42.4 percent) and 3,002 (19.3 percent), respectively, as Diez trailed with 5,950 (38.3 percent.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 4, 2003.</ref> In the [[general election]] on November 15, 2003, Lambert topped Diez, 9,601 votes (57.7 percent) to 7,026 (42.3 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 15, 2003.</ref> As a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] in 1999, Diez had polled 63 percent of the primary vote against another Democrat, Jeff Burns.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 23, 1999.</ref> ​

Lambert was elected to the House in 2003, when he upset the incumbent Republican Juba Diez. In the primary, Lambert and another Republican, George Cabanas, polled 6,581 votes (42.4 percent) and 3,002 (19.3 percent), respectively, as Diez trailed with 5,950 (38.3 percent.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 4, 2003.</ref> In the [[general election]] on November 15, 2003, Lambert topped Diez, 9,601 votes (57.7 percent) to 7,026 (42.3 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 15, 2003.</ref> As a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] in 1999, Diez had polled 63 percent of the primary vote against another Democrat, Jeff Burns.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 23, 1999.</ref>

 

In 2007, Lambert was reelected to the House without opposition. He was the vice chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and the Subcommittee on Education. He was a member of the committees on the Budget and Natural Resources and Environment as well as the subcommittees on Business Development and Litigation.<ref name=votesmart/>​

In 2007, Lambert was reelected to the House without opposition. He was the vice chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and the Subcommittee on Education. He was a member of the committees on the Budget and Natural Resources and Environment as well as the subcommittees on Business Development and Litigation.<ref name=votesmart/>

 

In 2011, Lambert voted with the House majority to make the Louisiana [[cigarette]] tax permanent. He then voted to override a veto by then Governor [[Bobby Jindal]], who killed the permanent cigarette tax. The veto override failed to gain the two-thirds needed vote of the state House. Lambert voted to prohibit the holding of hand-held cellular devices while driving, another measure which failed. In 2010, he was ranked 100 percent by the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, but only 58 percent in 2008-2009 by the Louisiana National Federation of Independent Business.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.votesmart.org/summary.php?can_id=35405|title=Rep. Eddie J. Lambert (LA)|publisher=votesmart.org|accessdate=July 16, 2011}}</ref> Lambert, considered a strong [[conservative]] focused on extending and improving the road network in House District 59. Lambert favoed requiring lawmakers and local officials to disclose their personal incomes.<ref name=mlgs>{{cite web|url=http://www.mobilelgs.com/LambertEddieJ.html|title=Rep. Lambert, Eddie J.|publisher=mobilelgs.com|accessdate=July 16, 2011}}</ref>​

In 2011, Lambert voted with the House majority to make the Louisiana [[cigarette]] tax permanent. He then voted to override a veto by then Governor [[Bobby Jindal]], who killed the permanent cigarette tax. The veto override failed to gain the two-thirds needed vote of the state House. Lambert voted to prohibit the holding of hand-held cellular devices while driving, another measure which failed. In 2010, he was ranked 100 percent by the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, but only 58 percent in 2008-2009 by the Louisiana National Federation of Independent Business.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.votesmart.org/summary.php?can_id=35405|title=Rep. Eddie J. Lambert (LA)|publisher=votesmart.org|accessdate=July 16, 2011}}</ref> Lambert, considered a strong [[conservative]] focused on extending and improving the road network in House District 59. Lambert favoed requiring lawmakers and local officials to disclose their personal incomes.<ref name=mlgs>{{cite web|url=http://www.mobilelgs.com/LambertEddieJ.html|title=Rep. Lambert, Eddie J.|publisher=mobilelgs.com|accessdate=July 16, 2011}}</ref>​

 

Most of Ascension Parish falls within House District 59, located on the east bank of the [[Mississippi River]] and among the fastest-growing areas of the state. Former farmlands have become suburbia, with residents from Baton Rouge fleeing urban problems but still plagued by floods and hurricanes. Gonzales is a major retail center, with a large outlet mall nearby but outside the House district. Ascension Parish still has many working-class residents employed in construction and petrochemical plants, but the influence of [[organized labor]] there has declined in recent years. Suburban development has brought more middle-class residents who commute to administrative, government. and professional positions in Baton Rouge.<ref name=mlgs/>​

Most of Ascension Parish falls within House District 59, located on the east bank of the [[Mississippi River]] and among the fastest-growing areas of the state. Former farmlands have become suburbia, with residents from Baton Rouge fleeing urban problems but still plagued by floods and hurricanes. Gonzales is a major retail center, with a large outlet mall nearby but outside the House district. Ascension Parish still has many working-class residents employed in construction and petrochemical plants, but the influence of [[organized labor]] there has declined in recent years. Suburban development has brought more middle-class residents who commute to administrative, government. and professional positions in Baton Rouge.<ref name=mlgs/>​

 

Near the end of the 2011 legislative session, Lambert sponsored a successful bill which returned the Louisiana U.S. presidential [[primary]] date from February, when it was held in 2008, to March, the date in and prior to 2004. Lambert's colleague, [[Alan Seabaugh]] of [[Shreveport]], said that without the measure, signed by Governor Jindal, Louisiana would have forfeited half its delegates at the 2012 [[Republican National Convention]], which met in [[Tampa]], [[Florida]]. None of the Louisiana Democratic delegates in 2012 would have been eligible to cast convention ballots at the convention in [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]], [[North Carolina]], unless the date were returned to March. The measure hence switches the date of the primary to the third Saturday after the first Tuesday in March. Lambert, who has sought to tighten drunk-driving laws,<ref name=mlgs/> attached a rider to the presidential primary bill which clarifies the drinking age for underage boaters on Louisiana waterways.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrkf.org/batonrouge&newsID=1633|author=Tegan Wendland|title=La.'s Presidential Primaries Pushed Back|date=June 30, 2011|publisher=wrkf.org|accessdate=July 16, 2011}}</ref>​​

Near the end of the 2011 legislative session, Lambert sponsored a successful bill which returned the Louisiana U.S. presidential [[primary]] date from February, when it was held in 2008, to March, the date in and prior to 2004. Lambert's Republican colleague, Alan Seabaugh of [[Shreveport]], said that without the measure, signed by Governor Jindal, Louisiana would have forfeited half of its delegates at the 2012 [[Republican National Convention]] held in [[Tampa]], [[Florida]]. None of the Louisiana Democratic delegates in 2012 would have been eligible to cast convention ballots at the conclave in [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]], [[North Carolina]], unless the date were returned to March. The measure hence switches the date of the primary to the third Saturday after the first Tuesday in March. Lambert, who has sought to tighten drunk-driving laws,<ref name=mlgs/> attached a rider to the presidential primary bill which clarifies the drinking age for underage boaters on Louisiana waterways.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrkf.org/batonrouge&newsID=1633|author=Tegan Wendland|title=La.'s Presidential Primaries Pushed Back|date=June 30, 2011|publisher=wrkf.org|accessdate=July 16, 2011}}</ref>​​

 

Lambert won a third House term in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 22, 2011. Since taking office in 2004, Lambert pushed for the four-laning  of Louisiana Highway 42 in Prairieville. The previous highway was two-laned and had open ditches on both sides of the roadway.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://theadvocate.com/home/8129684-125/long-awaited-la-42-work|title=David J. Mitchell, Sewer, utility work for four-lane highway to begin next month|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|accessdate=January 21, 2014}}</ref>​

Lambert won a third House term in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 22, 2011. Since taking office in 2004, Lambert pushed for the four-laning  of Louisiana Highway 42 in Prairieville. The previous highway was two-laned and had open ditches on both sides of the roadway.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://theadvocate.com/home/8129684-125/long-awaited-la-42-work|title=David J. Mitchell, Sewer, utility work for four-lane highway to begin next month|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|accessdate=January 21, 2014}}</ref>​

 

==Move to the state Senate==​

==Advancing to the state Senate==

Lambert succeeded Jody Amedee in Senate District 18, which includes east Ascension, Lower Livingston, St. James, and St. John the Baptistparishes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eddielambert.com/|title=Eddie Lambert Senator|publisher=eddielambert.com|accessdate=September 12, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://winwithjmc.com/archives/6832?utm_source=JMCEL+Political+EMails&utm_campaign=f2c8ba169e-9_11_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ca8cff4ec3-f2c8ba169e-124677329&ct=t(9_11_2015)|title=Decision 2015: The end of candidate qualifying|publisher=winwithjmc.com|author=JMC Enterprises|date=September 10, 2015|accessdate=September 12, 2015}}</ref>

Lambert succeeded Jody Amedee in Senate District 18, which includes east Ascension, Lower Livingston, St. James, and St. John the Baptistparishes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eddielambert.com/|title=Eddie Lambert Senator|publisher=eddielambert.com|accessdate=September 12, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://winwithjmc.com/archives/6832?utm_source=JMCEL+Political+EMails&utm_campaign=f2c8ba169e-9_11_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ca8cff4ec3-f2c8ba169e-124677329&ct=t(9_11_2015)|title=Decision 2015: The end of candidate qualifying|publisher=winwithjmc.com|author=JMC Enterprises|date=September 10, 2015|accessdate=September 12, 2015}}</ref>​

 

In the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 12, 2019, Lambert won his second term in the Senate without opposition.​

In the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 12, 2019, Lambert won his second term in the Senate without opposition.​

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