Changes

For the first time ever, Democrats in 2011 did not offer a candidate for the District 25 House seat. Harris defeated Byrd, 7,577 votes (55.5 percent) to 6,088 (44.6 percent) to claim the position.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/10222011/10222011_Legislative.html|title=Louisiana primary election returns, October 22, 2011|publisher=staticresults.sos.la.gov|accessdate=October 24, 2011}}</ref> Neither had previously sought public office.<ref name=adtt/> Byrd had been endorsed by the Louisiana Committee for a Republican Majority, established by U.S. Senator [[David Vitter]] with the goal of increasing Republican representation in both houses of the Louisiana legislature.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nola.com/newsflash/index.ssf/story/a-look-at-the-la-races-targeted-by-vitter-group/040a85707eb64de5a2df981301da0733|title=A look at the La. races targeted by the Vitter group, August 4, 2011|publisher=nola.com|accessdate=October 22, 2011}}</ref> Byrd also carried the backing of the Louisiana Republican Party, the Rapides Parish Republican Executive Committee, and the website LouisianaConservative.com.<ref name=adtt/> Neither Harris nor Byrd was endorsed by [[Governor]] [[Bobby Jindal]], who was himself handily elected to a second term in office in the 2011 primary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theind.com/news/9023-jindal-weighs-in-on-oct-22-election|title=Jindal weighs in on Oct. 22 election|publisher=theind.com|accessdate=October 24, 2011}}</ref>

For the first time ever, Democrats in 2011 did not offer a candidate for the District 25 House seat. Harris defeated Byrd, 7,577 votes (55.5 percent) to 6,088 (44.6 percent) to claim the position.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/10222011/10222011_Legislative.html|title=Louisiana primary election returns, October 22, 2011|publisher=staticresults.sos.la.gov|accessdate=October 24, 2011}}</ref> Neither had previously sought public office.<ref name=adtt/> Byrd had been endorsed by the Louisiana Committee for a Republican Majority, established by U.S. Senator [[David Vitter]] with the goal of increasing Republican representation in both houses of the Louisiana legislature.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nola.com/newsflash/index.ssf/story/a-look-at-the-la-races-targeted-by-vitter-group/040a85707eb64de5a2df981301da0733|title=A look at the La. races targeted by the Vitter group, August 4, 2011|publisher=nola.com|accessdate=October 22, 2011}}</ref> Byrd also carried the backing of the Louisiana Republican Party, the Rapides Parish Republican Executive Committee, and the website LouisianaConservative.com.<ref name=adtt/> Neither Harris nor Byrd was endorsed by [[Governor]] [[Bobby Jindal]], who was himself handily elected to a second term in office in the 2011 primary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theind.com/news/9023-jindal-weighs-in-on-oct-22-election|title=Jindal weighs in on Oct. 22 election|publisher=theind.com|accessdate=October 24, 2011}}</ref>

In a special legislative session on Memorial Day 2018, Republican Majority Leader Harris obtained House passage of his legislation to keep one-third of a one-cent [[sales tax]] scheduled for expiration. The one-third part of the tax is projected to raise $369 million annually, less than the $648 million of additional revenue sought by Democratic Governor [[John Bel Edwards]]. A supermajority was required for passage of a tax, 76-26, as it developed with passage on the second attempt. Harris said that his bill would reduce government spending by 1.3 percent next year because it would still require some cuts, "but not catastrophic" ones.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/2018/05/28/breaking-house-passes-sales-tax-second-try/649217002/|title=Breaking: House passes sales tax on second try|date=May 28, 2018|author=[[Greg Hilburn]]|accessdate=May 29, 2018}}</ref> Then the state Senate added other tax increases to Harris' House bill, and the House declined to go along with the Senate.

In a special legislative session on Memorial Day 2018, Republican Majority Leader Harris obtained House passage of his legislation to keep one-third of a one-cent [[sales tax]] scheduled for expiration. The one-third part of the tax is projected to raise $369 million annually, less than the $648 million of additional revenue sought by Democratic Governor [[John Bel Edwards]]. A supermajority was required for passage of a tax, 76–26, as it developed with passage on the second attempt. Harris said that his bill would reduce government spending by 1.3 percent next year because it would still require some cuts, "but not catastrophic" ones.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/2018/05/28/breaking-house-passes-sales-tax-second-try/649217002/|title=Breaking: House passes sales tax on second try|date=May 28, 2018|author=[[Greg Hilburn]]|accessdate=May 29, 2018}}</ref> Then the state Senate added other tax increases to Harris' House bill, and the House declined to go along with the Senate.

Harris' leadership against Edwards' tax proposals drew the fire of an irate long-term Rapides Parish [[Sheriff]] William Earl Hilton, a Democrat born October 12, 1945, who was reelected with 75 percent of the vote in the 2015 nonpartisan blanket primary against three Republican challengers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=Election Returns (Rapides Parish)|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=June 11, 2018}}</ref> Hilton referred to the possibility that ten thousand state prisoners could be released if the cuts required by the recently approved state should become a reality. Hilton placed responsibility on Harris: "Lance has got it in his craw that this is what we're gonna do, and it's my way or no way. It's my way or the highway." Harris called Hilton's outburst more of "the worst political scare tactics I've seen."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thetowntalk.com/story/news/2018/06/08/fed-up-rapides-sheriff-says-hell-return-state-inmates-if-cuts-come/685005002/|title='Fed up': Rapides sheriff says he'll return state inmates if cuts come|author=Melissa Gregory|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk''|date=June 8, 2018|accessdate=June 11, 2018}}</ref>   

Harris' leadership against Edwards' tax proposals drew the fire of an irate long-term Rapides Parish [[Sheriff]] William Earl Hilton, a Democrat born October 12, 1945, who was reelected with 75 percent of the vote in the 2015 nonpartisan blanket primary against three Republican challengers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=Election Returns (Rapides Parish)|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=June 11, 2018}}</ref> Hilton referred to the possibility that ten thousand state prisoners could be released if the cuts required by the recently approved state should become a reality. Hilton placed responsibility on Harris: "Lance has got it in his craw that this is what we're gonna do, and it's my way or no way. It's my way or the highway." Harris called Hilton's outburst more of "the worst political scare tactics I've seen."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thetowntalk.com/story/news/2018/06/08/fed-up-rapides-sheriff-says-hell-return-state-inmates-if-cuts-come/685005002/|title='Fed up': Rapides sheriff says he'll return state inmates if cuts come|author=Melissa Gregory|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk''|date=June 8, 2018|accessdate=June 11, 2018}}</ref>