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Pinac was first elected to the District 42 seat in the state legislature in the nonpartisan blanket [[primary]] held on October 21, 1995, when he defeated a fellow Democrat, Isabella L. DelaHoussaye (born April 24, 1939) of Crowley, 6,512 (55.9 percent) to 5,148 ballots (44.2 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 21, 1995.</ref> Pinac succeeded Representative Christopher Charles John of Crowley, who ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor in 1995. In 1996, John was elected to the [[United States House of Representatives]] for the since disbanded 7th congressional district.

Pinac was first elected to the District 42 seat in the state legislature in the nonpartisan blanket [[primary]] held on October 21, 1995, when he defeated a fellow Democrat, Isabella L. DelaHoussaye (born April 24, 1939) of Crowley, 6,512 (55.9 percent) to 5,148 ballots (44.2 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 21, 1995.</ref> Pinac succeeded Representative Christopher Charles John of Crowley, who ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor in 1995. In 1996, John was elected to the [[United States House of Representatives]] for the since disbanded 7th congressional district.

In the Louisiana House, Pinac was the chairman of the Commerce Committee. He maintained a [[pro-life]] voting record<ref>{{cite web|url=http://brownpelicanla.com/index.php/all?cat=2|title=Lay Catholics Dedicated to Proclaiming the Truth|publisher=Brown Pelican Society|accessdate=December 24, 2008}}</ref> but was otherwise not [[conservative]]. In other legislative votes, Pinac opposed (1) [[human cloning]], (2) the restoration of mortgage interest deductions for Louisiana state income taxes, and (3) placing constitutional limits on state spending. He supported (1) more [[slot machine]]s at [[horse racing]] tracks, (2) permitting public officials to be employed by [[casino]]s, (3) allowing bars to be located near churches, and (4) [[tuition]] tax deductions for private schools.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://louisianavoterguide.com/races.asp?RaceID=x&OfficeSought=Senate&District=25|title=Louisiana Voter Guide, 2007|publisher=louisianavoterguide.com|accessdate=December 24, 2008}}</ref> Pinac was unopposed for his second and third terms in 1999 and 2003. ​

In the Louisiana House, Pinac was the chairman of the Commerce Committee. He maintained a [[pro-life]] voting record<ref>{{cite web|url=http://brownpelicanla.com/index.php/all?cat=2|title=Lay Catholics Dedicated to Proclaiming the Truth|publisher=Brown Pelican Society|accessdate=December 24, 2008}}</ref> but was otherwise not [[conservative]]. In other legislative votes, Pinac opposed (1) [[human cloning]], (2) the restoration of mortgage interest deductions for Louisiana state income taxes, and (3) placing constitutional limits on state spending. He supported (1) more [[slot machine]]s at [[horse racing]] tracks, (2) permitting public officials to be employed by casinos, (3) allowing bars to be located near churches, and (4) [[tuition]] tax deductions for private schools.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://louisianavoterguide.com/races.asp?RaceID=x&OfficeSought=Senate&District=25|title=Louisiana Voter Guide, 2007|publisher=louisianavoterguide.com|accessdate=December 24, 2008}}</ref> Pinac was unopposed for his second and third terms in 1999 and 2003.

 

===State Senate election defeat===

===State Senate election defeat===

Limited to three terms in the state House, Pinac instead ran as a Democrat in the primary held on October 20, 2007, for the District 25 seat in the state Senate seat vacated by another Democrat-turned-Republican, [[Gerald J. Theunissen]] of Jennings in Jefferson Davis Parish. In that same election, he was a strong backer of the Democrat [[Bob Odom]], who was eliminated from another term as state commissioner of agriculture and forestry. Pinac led in the primary with 13,437 votes (38.5 percent) and went into the [[general election]] with Republican [[Dan "Blade" Morrish]] of Jennings, who had trailed in the first round of balloting with 11,145 (32 percent). A third candidate, Republican [[Mark Abraham]], the president of the Lake Charles Port Authority, a member of the Lake Charles City Council from 1989 to 1992, and a former LSU [[football]] star.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://louisianaconservative.com/?p=197|title=Mark Abraham for Louisiana Senate, District 25|publisher=louisianaconservative.com|accessdate=December 27, 2008}}</ref> ran third with a crucial 10,294 votes (29.5 percent)<ref name=lsos>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 20, 2007.</ref> In the November 17 general election, with a much lower turnout, Morrish prevailed with 11,186 (53.9 percent) to Pinac's 9,556 (46 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 17, 2007.</ref>

Limited to three terms in the state House, Pinac instead ran as a Democrat in the primary held on October 20, 2007, for the District 25 seat in the state Senate seat vacated by another Democrat-turned-Republican, [[Gerald J. Theunissen]] of Jennings in Jefferson Davis Parish. In that same election, he was a strong backer of the Democrat [[Bob Odom]], who was eliminated from another term as state commissioner of agriculture and forestry. Pinac led in the primary with 13,437 votes (38.5 percent) and went into the [[general election]] with Republican [[Dan "Blade" Morrish]] of Jennings, who had trailed in the first round of balloting with 11,145 (32 percent). A third candidate, Republican [[Mark Abraham]], the president of the Lake Charles Port Authority, a member of the Lake Charles City Council from 1989 to 1992, and a former LSU [[football]] star.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://louisianaconservative.com/?p=197|title=Mark Abraham for Louisiana Senate, District 25|publisher=louisianaconservative.com|accessdate=December 27, 2008}}</ref> ran third with a crucial 10,294 votes (29.5 percent)<ref name=lsos>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 20, 2007.</ref> In the November 17 general election, with a much lower turnout, Morrish prevailed with 11,186 (53.9 percent) to Pinac's 9,556 (46 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 17, 2007.</ref>