In 2012, Ellington was appointed to a $150,000 position in the Louisiana Department of Insurance as the chief deputy commissioner. He served under elected commissioner [[Jim Donelon]], a former Democrat who turned Republican in 1980. Ellington would have succeeded to the insurance commissioner's position were Donelon to vacate the post that he has held since 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/ba5156c86d3b4f57a271e52374c4b369/LA--Ellington-Insurance/|title=Former state Rep. Noble Ellington hired as No. 2 official at state Department of Insurance|date=February 8, 2012|publisher=Therepublic.com|accessdate=February 8, 2012; no longer on-line.}}</ref> Ellington said that he would remain deputy commissioner until at least 2016. | In 2012, Ellington was appointed to a $150,000 position in the Louisiana Department of Insurance as the chief deputy commissioner. He served under elected commissioner [[Jim Donelon]], a former Democrat who turned Republican in 1980. Ellington would have succeeded to the insurance commissioner's position were Donelon to vacate the post that he has held since 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/ba5156c86d3b4f57a271e52374c4b369/LA--Ellington-Insurance/|title=Former state Rep. Noble Ellington hired as No. 2 official at state Department of Insurance|date=February 8, 2012|publisher=Therepublic.com|accessdate=February 8, 2012; no longer on-line.}}</ref> Ellington said that he would remain deputy commissioner until at least 2016. |