Changes

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>"Pugh says time to take stand against cuts," ''The Hammond Star,'' December 2, 2010.</ref> ​In 2017, Kennedy became the state's junior member of the [[United States Senate]].

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>"Pugh says time to take stand against cuts," ''The Hammond Star,'' December 2, 2010.</ref> ​In 2017, Kennedy became the state's junior member of the [[United States Senate]].

In his first term, Pugh served on the committees of (1) Commerce, (2) House and Governmental Affairs, and (3) Municipal, Parochial, and Cultural Affairs.<ref name=vsmart/> In the 2011 legislative session, Pugh supported a successful House measure to provide for random drug screening of welfare recipients, but the measure died in the state senate. Pugh, meanwhile, opposed the establishment of a commission to determine how the state might gradually abolish its state [[income tax]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amitetoday.com/pages/full_story/push?article-How+Louisiana+State+Legislators+voted+on+the+issues%20&id=14684121&instance=secondary_news_left_column|title=How Louisiana State Legislators voted on the issues|publisher=amitetoday.com|accessdate=August 26, 2011}}</ref>

In his first term, Pugh served on the committees of (1) Commerce, (2) House and Governmental Affairs, and (3) Municipal, Parochial, and Cultural Affairs.<ref name=vsmart/> In the 2011 legislative session, Pugh supported a successful House measure to provide for random drug screening of recipients of the public welfare, but the measure died in the state senate. Pugh, meanwhile, opposed the establishment of a commission to determine how the state might gradually abolish its state [[income tax]].<ref>"How Louisiana State Legislators voted on the issues," Amitetoday.com, accessed=August 26, 2011; material no longer on-line.</ref>

Pugh was handily reelected in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 22, 2011. He defeated fellow Republican David P. Englade, 7,464 (81.1 percent) to 1,740 (18.9 percent).<refLouisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 22, 2011.</ref> Pugh had a much closer contest in his 2015 reelection. In the primary held on October 24, he defeated fellow Republican Tim Bailey, 5,341 (51.6 percent) to 5,003 (48.4 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 24, 2015.</ref>

Pugh was handily reelected in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 22, 2011. He defeated fellow Republican David P. Englade, 7,464 (81.1 percent) to 1,740 (18.9 percent).<refLouisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 22, 2011.</ref> Pugh had a much closer contest in his 2015 reelection. In the primary held on October 24, he defeated fellow Republican Tim Bailey, 5,341 (51.6 percent) to 5,003 (48.4 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 24, 2015.</ref>