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Cusimano was described by his House colleague, [[Ron Gomez]] of [[Lafayette]], as "a diminitive firebrand from Metairie."<ref>[[Ron Gomez]], ''My Name Is Ron And I'm a Recovering Legislator: Memoirs of a Louisiana State Representative'' ([[Lafayette]], [[Louisiana]]: Zemog Publishing, 2000), p. 134, isbn=0-9700156-0-7</ref> In House debate over the [[New Orleans Saints]]'s lease of the Louisiana Superdome (since the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Cusimano proposed an amendment that would restrict the team's concession revenues to a minimum level, after which the proceeds would be split 50-50 with the state). The amendment, strongly opposed by the Saints' owner, Thomas Milton "Tom" Benson (1927-2018), appeared to have passed until Governor [[Edwin Edwards]], in an unprecedented move, came to the chamber to plead with the lawmakers to reverse themselves. Edwards claimed that the Cusimano amendment would cause the Saints, then a repeatedly losing team, to leave New Orleans and practically make the state the laughingstock of the nation. After the visibly shaken Edwards spoke, Representative [[Raymond Laborde]] of Marksville, Edwards' friend from childhood, stepped to the microphone and moved that the previous amendment be deleted. No debate was allowed on the previous question, and Benson and Edwards prevailed.<ref>Ron Gomez, pp. 134-137.</ref>

Cusimano was described by his House colleague, [[Ron Gomez]] of [[Lafayette]], as "a diminitive firebrand from Metairie."<ref>[[Ron Gomez]], ''My Name Is Ron And I'm a Recovering Legislator: Memoirs of a Louisiana State Representative'' ([[Lafayette]], [[Louisiana]]: Zemog Publishing, 2000), p. 134, isbn=0-9700156-0-7</ref> In House debate over the [[New Orleans Saints]]'s lease of the Louisiana Superdome (since the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Cusimano proposed an amendment that would restrict the team's concession revenues to a minimum level, after which the proceeds would be split 50-50 with the state). The amendment, strongly opposed by the Saints' owner, Thomas Milton "Tom" Benson (1927-2018), appeared to have passed until Governor [[Edwin Edwards]], in an unprecedented move, came to the chamber to plead with the lawmakers to reverse themselves. Edwards claimed that the Cusimano amendment would cause the Saints, then a repeatedly losing team, to leave New Orleans and practically make the state the laughingstock of the nation. After the visibly shaken Edwards spoke, Representative [[Raymond Laborde]] of Marksville, Edwards' friend from childhood, stepped to the microphone and moved that the previous amendment be deleted. No debate was allowed on the previous question, and Benson and Edwards prevailed.<ref>Ron Gomez, pp. 134-137.</ref>

    

    

Cusimano resigned from the legislature in 1988 to become a 24th Judicial District Court [[judge]], a position that he held from 1988- to 007.<ref name=cusimano/> His resignation from the legislature triggered a [[special election]] in District 81. Several Republicans sought to succeed Representative Cusimano, including future Republican state chairman, [[Roger F. Villere, Jr.]], a Metairie floral shop owner. However, the two candidates who reached the runoff election wereRepublicans  [[John Treen]], brother of former Governor [[David C. Treen]], and [[David Duke]], nationally known as a former figure in the [[Ku Klux Klan]]. Duke narrowly won the race over Treen, who enjoyed the backing of most state and national Republicans, including [[U.S. President]] [[George Herbert Walker Bush]] and former President Reagan, who opposed Duke's candidacy. Duke claimed that Treen, if elected, was willing to see [[property tax]] increases in the [[suburban]] New Orleans district.<ref>Douglas D. Rose, ''The Emergence of David Duke and the Politics of Race'' (Chapel Hill, [[North Carolina]]: [[University of North Carolina]] Press, 1992), p. iii (ISBN 0807843814,  

Cusimano resigned from the legislature in 1988 to become a 24th Judicial District Court [[judge]], a position that he held from 1988- to 007.<ref name=cusimano/> His resignation from the legislature triggered a [[special election]] in District 81. Several Republicans sought to succeed Representative Cusimano, including future Republican state chairman, [[Roger F. Villere, Jr.]], a Metairie floral shop owner. However, the two candidates who reached the runoff election were Republicans [[John Treen]], brother of former Governor [[David C. Treen]], and [[David Duke]], nationally known as a former figure in the [[Ku Klux Klan]]. Duke narrowly won the race over Treen, who enjoyed the backing of most state and national Republicans, including [[U.S. President]] [[George Herbert Walker Bush]] and former President Reagan, who opposed Duke's candidacy. Duke claimed that Treen, if elected, was willing to see [[property tax]] increases in the [[suburban]] New Orleans district.<ref>Douglas D. Rose, ''The Emergence of David Duke and the Politics of Race'' (Chapel Hill, [[North Carolina]]: [[University of North Carolina]] Press, 1992), p. iii (ISBN 0807843814,  

ISBN 978-0-8078-4381-9). See also Michael Zatarain, ''David Duke: Evolution of a Klansman'' (Gretna, Louisiana: Pelican Publishing, 1990), ISBN 0-88289-817-5, ISBN 978-0-88289-817-9.</ref>  

ISBN 978-0-8078-4381-9). See also Michael Zatarain, ''David Duke: Evolution of a Klansman'' (Gretna, Louisiana: Pelican Publishing, 1990), ISBN 0-88289-817-5, ISBN 978-0-88289-817-9.</ref>