Changes

|preceded=Thomas Taylor Townsend​

|preceded=Thomas Taylor Townsend​

|succeeded=Kenny Ray Cox​

|succeeded=Kenny Ray Cox​

|office2=President of [[Natchitoches|Natchitoches Parish]]​

|office2=President of [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches Parish]]​

|term_start2=2013 ​

|term_start2=2013 ​

|term_end2=​January 12, 2020

|term_end2=​January 12, 2020

}}​

}}​

​

​

'''Rickey L. "Rick" Nowlin''' (born July 30, 1948) is an [[engineer]], [[business]]man, and [[politician]] who is the president of the government of [[Natchitoches , Louisiana|Natchitoches Parish]], [[Louisiana]].​

'''Rickey L. "Rick" Nowlin''' (born July 30, 1948) is an [[engineer]], [[business]]man, and [[politician]] who is the president of the government of [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches Parish]], [[Louisiana]].​

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A [[Republican Party|Republican]], Nowlin defeated the [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] Gerald "Jerry" Longlois in the [[nonpartisan blanket primary]] held for the new position on November 6, 2012. The election was held in conjunction with the U.S. presidential and congressional contests. Nowlin received 9,283 votes (59.2 percent) to Longlois'  6,393 (40.8 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 6, 2012.</ref>​ He was reelected in 2015 but did not seek a third term as parish president in the primary held on October 12, 2019.

A [[Republican Party|Republican]], Nowlin defeated the [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] Gerald "Jerry" Longlois in the nonpartisan blanket primary held for the new position on November 6, 2012. The election was held in conjunction with the U.S. presidential and congressional contests. Nowlin received 9,283 votes (59.2 percent) to Longlois'  6,393 (40.8 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 6, 2012.</ref>​ He was reelected in 2015 but did not seek a third term as parish president in the primary held on October 12, 2019. That office is now chosen in the same election as the [[governor]].

 

From 2008 to 2012, Nowlin was a one-term member of the Louisiana House of Representatives]] for District 23 (DeSoto, Natchitoches, and Red River parishes). Nowlin and the still-serving [[Louisiana State Legislature|State Senator]] [[Gerald Long|Gerald I. Long]] are the first Republicans since [[Reconstruction era of the United States|Reconstruction]] to represent Natchitoches Parish in the Louisiana legislature.<ref>List of Members of the Louisiana House of Representatives Since 1812: http://www.legis.state.la.us/members/h1812-2008.pdf; List of Members of the Louisiana State Senate Since 1880:  http://www.legis.state.la.us/members/s1880-2004.pdf#search='c.c.%20taddy%20aycock'</ref> The two took their oaths of office on January 14, 2008, the same day that Republican [[governor of Louisiana|Governor]] [[Bobby Jindal]] was inaugurated.​

From 2008 to 2012, Nowlin was a one-term member of the Louisiana House of Representatives]] for District 23 (DeSoto, Natchitoches, and Red River parishes). Nowlin and the departing state Senator Gerald I. Long, are the first Republicans since [[Reconstruction]] to have represented Natchitoches Parish in the state legislature.<ref>

{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Membership of the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2020 (Natchitoches Parish)|publisher=Louisiana House of Representatives|accessdate=October 24, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.senate.la.gov/Documents/Membership/Documents/SenateMembership1880ForwardRevisedMar2011.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana Senate, 1880 - Present (Natchitoches Parish)|publisher=Louisiana State Senate|accessdate=October 24, 2019}}</ref> Nowlin and Long took their oaths of office on January 14, 2008, the same day that Republican [[Governor]] [[Bobby Jindal]] was inaugurated.​

==Background==

==Background==

Nowlin, with the pledge of "A Time for Reform",  won a stunning victory in District 23 (then Natchitoches and Winn parishes but since altered) on November 17, 2007, over the [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] Joseph Michael "Joe" Sampite, who served as the mayor of  Natchitoches from 1980 to 2000. Sampite is also an inductee into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield.<ref>[http://www.cityofwinnfield.com/museum.html Winnfield, La - Old L&A Depot, LA Political Museum<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Nowlin polled 4,609 votes (55 percent) in the general election to Sampite's 3,766 (45 percent)<ref>[http://www400.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcms3&rqsdta=111707i Louisiana Secretary of State-Multi-Parish Elections Inquiry<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In the primary on October 20, 2007, Nowlin led a four-candidate field with 4,849 votes (35 percent) to Sampite's 4,598 (33 percent). Two other Democrats, Ralph Wilson and Mack James, polled, 2,847 (21 percent) and 1,459 (11 percent), respectively. Hence, Nowlin and Sampite were thrust into the runoff, called the general election in Louisiana even if both candidates are from the same party.<ref>[http://www400.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcms3&rqsdta=102007 Louisiana Secretary of State-Multi-Parish Elections Inquiry<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Nowlin succeeded Thomas Taylor Townsend of Natchitoches, a Democrat who gave up the House seat after two terms to run unsuccessfully against Gerald Long for the state Senate. Townsend is a nephew and law partner of former State Senator Donald G. Kelly of Natchitoches.

Nowlin, with the pledge of "A Time for Reform",  won a stunning victory in District 23 (then Natchitoches and Winn parishes but since altered) on November 17, 2007, over the [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] Joseph Michael "Joe" Sampite, who served as the mayor of  Natchitoches from 1980 to 2000. Sampite is also an inductee into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield.<ref>[http://www.cityofwinnfield.com/museum.html Winnfield, La - Old L&A Depot, LA Political Museum<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Nowlin polled 4,609 votes (55 percent) in the general election to Sampite's 3,766 (45 percent)<ref>[http://www400.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcms3&rqsdta=111707i Louisiana Secretary of State-Multi-Parish Elections Inquiry<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In the primary on October 20, 2007, Nowlin led a four-candidate field with 4,849 votes (35 percent) to Sampite's 4,598 (33 percent). Two other Democrats, Ralph Wilson and Mack James, polled, 2,847 (21 percent) and 1,459 (11 percent), respectively. Hence, Nowlin and Sampite were thrust into the runoff, called the general election in Louisiana even if both candidates are from the same party.<ref>[http://www400.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcms3&rqsdta=102007 Louisiana Secretary of State-Multi-Parish Elections Inquiry<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Nowlin succeeded Thomas Taylor Townsend of Natchitoches, a Democrat who gave up the House seat after two terms to run unsuccessfully against Gerald Long for the state Senate. Townsend is a nephew and law partner of former State Senator Donald G. Kelly of Natchitoches.

==Personal and civic life==

==Personal and civic life==