Changes

With no previous political experience except a competitive but losing campaign for the District 73 seat in 1991, Pugh faced then-incumbent Democrat, Dennis Paul Hebert (1926-2015) in a [[general election]], won by Hebert with 53 percent of the ballots cast. It was Hebert's last successful race<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 16, 1991.</ref> Pugh was elected to the state House in 2007 for the seat vacated by the term-limited Republican Henry "Tank" Powell. Pugh led in the nonpartisan blanket [[primary]] held on October 20, having polled 6,108 votes (43.7 percent). He was scheduled to enter a runoff election with fellow Republican Michelle Aycock, who received 3,327 votes (23.8 percent). A third Republican, Tony Licciardi, and a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], Scott Ploof, trailed with 2,971 and 1,566 votes, respectively.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 20, 2007.</ref> Aycock, however, decided not to contest a runoff election, and Pugh hence won the seat without opposition in the general election.

With no previous political experience except a competitive but losing campaign for the District 73 seat in 1991, Pugh faced then-incumbent Democrat, Dennis Paul Hebert (1926-2015) in a [[general election]], won by Hebert with 53 percent of the ballots cast. It was Hebert's last successful race<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 16, 1991.</ref> Pugh was elected to the state House in 2007 for the seat vacated by the term-limited Republican Henry "Tank" Powell. Pugh led in the nonpartisan blanket [[primary]] held on October 20, having polled 6,108 votes (43.7 percent). He was scheduled to enter a runoff election with fellow Republican Michelle Aycock, who received 3,327 votes (23.8 percent). A third Republican, Tony Licciardi, and a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], Scott Ploof, trailed with 2,971 and 1,566 votes, respectively.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 20, 2007.</ref> Aycock, however, decided not to contest a runoff election, and Pugh hence won the seat without opposition in the general election.

Pugh is an advocate for the elderly and the deaf and hard-of-hearing. He was the legislative point man of the free captioned telephone and telecommunications relay services provided by Hamilton Relay in District 73 and later throughout the state.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/louisiana-state-representative-steve-pugh-to-drive-awareness-for-hamilton-relay-captioned-telephone-and-telecommunications-relay-services-115552539.html|title=Louisiana State Representative Steve Pugh to Drive Awareness for Hamilton Relay Captioned Telephone and Telecommunications Relay Services: Pugh to speak throughout Louisiana to educate the public on available services for individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or have difficulty speaking|publisher=prnewswire.com|date=February 2011|accessdate=April 2, 2020}}</ref>​

Pugh is an advocate for the elderly and the deaf and hard-of-hearing. He was the legislative point man of the free captioned telephone and telecommunications relay services provided by Hamilton Relay in District 73 and later throughout the state.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/louisiana-state-representative-steve-pugh-to-drive-awareness-for-hamilton-relay-captioned-telephone-and-telecommunications-relay-services-115552539.html|title=Louisiana State Representative Steve Pugh to Drive Awareness for Hamilton Relay Captioned Telephone and Telecommunications Relay Services: Pugh to speak throughout Louisiana to educate the public on available services for individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or have difficulty speaking|publisher=prnewswire.com|date=February 8, 2011|accessdate=April 2, 2020}}</ref>​

In the face of a large state budget shortfall in 2011, Pugh addressed the Southeastern faculty senate and opposed cuts in higher education and health. Instead, he urged his colleagues and then [[Governor]] [[Bobby Jindal]], a fellow Republican, to work with then state Treasurer [[John Neely Kennedy]], who had submitted a 16-point plan for trimming the budget and identifying more efficient methods of operations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hammondstar.com/articles/2011/06/16/top_stories/education/5704.txt|title=​

In the face of a large state budget shortfall in 2011, Pugh addressed the Southeastern faculty senate and opposed cuts in higher education and health. Instead, he urged his colleagues and then [[Governor]] [[Bobby Jindal]], a fellow Republican, to work with then state Treasurer [[John Neely Kennedy]], who had submitted a 16-point plan for trimming the budget and identifying more efficient methods of operations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hammondstar.com/articles/2011/06/16/top_stories/education/5704.txt|title=​