Changes

On October 24, 1987, Bacqué unseated the [[pro-life]] [[Republican Party|Republican]] state Representative [[Michael  F. Thompson]] in the nonpartisan blanket [[primary]].  Thompson led a three-candidate field with 7,345 votes (45 percent) to Bacqué's 6,473 (40 percent). The remaining but critical 2,377 votes were polled by the [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], Vance Lanier.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 24, 1987.</ref> In the November 21 [[general election]], the Lanier backers swung strongly to Bacqué, who prevailed, 6,811 (57 percent) to Thompson's 5,106 ballots (43 percent). Thompson's defeat was also attributed to the failure of some 2,200 Republican voters who participated in the primary to return to the polls for the second round of balloting. The successful Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, [[Paul Hardy]], won in Lafayette Parish over the Democratic incumbent [[Robert Freeman]] at the same time that Thompson was going down to defeat.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 21, 1987.</ref>​

On October 24, 1987, Bacqué unseated the [[pro-life]] [[Republican Party|Republican]] state Representative [[Michael  F. Thompson]] in the nonpartisan blanket [[primary]].  Thompson led a three-candidate field with 7,345 votes (45 percent) to Bacqué's 6,473 (40 percent). The remaining but critical 2,377 votes were polled by the [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], Vance Lanier.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 24, 1987.</ref> In the November 21 [[general election]], the Lanier backers swung strongly to Bacqué, who prevailed, 6,811 (57 percent) to Thompson's 5,106 ballots (43 percent). Thompson's defeat was also attributed to the failure of some 2,200 Republican voters who participated in the primary to return to the polls for the second round of balloting. The successful Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, [[Paul Hardy]], won in Lafayette Parish over the Democratic incumbent [[Robert Freeman]] at the same time that Thompson was going down to defeat.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 21, 1987.</ref>​

As a freshman legislator, Bacqué stood alone in 1991, when he attempted to deny seating to newly elected representative [[David Duke]], a former figure in the [[Ku Klux Klan]], on the grounds that Duke was not a legal resident of his district. When Duke's election opponent, fellow Republican [[John Treen]], failed in a court challenge, Duke was seated but without Bacqué's acquiescence.<ref>[[Ron Gomez]], "David Duke? He's Just Another Freshman,"  ''My Name Is Ron And I'm a Recovering Legislator: Memoirs of a Louisiana State Representative'' (Lafayette, Louisiana:: Zemog Publishing, 2000, pp. 157-164; ISBN 0-9700156-0-7.</ref>​

As a freshman legislator, Bacqué stood alone in 1991, when he attempted to deny seating to newly elected representative [[David Duke]], a former figure in the [[Ku Klux Klan]], on the grounds that Duke was not a legal resident of his district. When Duke's election opponent, fellow Republican [[John Treen]], failed in a court challenge, Duke was seated but without Bacqué's acquiescence.<ref>[[Ron Gomez]], "David Duke? He's Just Another Freshman,"  ''My Name Is Ron And I'm a Recovering Legislator: Memoirs of a Louisiana State Representative'' (Lafayette, Louisiana:: Zemog Publishing, 2000), pp. 157-164; ISBN 0-9700156-0-7.</ref>​

In 2007, Lafayette City and Parish President Joey Durel named Bacqué to fill the unexpired term of Don Higginbotham on the Lafayette Regional Airport Commission. Higginbotham, a Democrat-turned-Republican, had earlier served with Bacqué in the state House.<ref name=acadian/>​

In 2007, Lafayette City and Parish President Joey Durel named Bacqué to fill the unexpired term of Don Higginbotham on the Lafayette Regional Airport Commission. Higginbotham, a Democrat-turned-Republican, had earlier served with Bacqué in the state House.<ref name=acadian/>​