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'''Rick Lamar Farrar''', known as '''Rick L. Farrar''' (February 12, 1960 &ndash; December 18, 2018)<ref name=findagrave>Rick Lamar Farrar (1960-2018) - Find A Grave Memorial, accessed May 3, 2021.</ref> was an [[attorney]] in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]], [[Louisiana]], who served as the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]state representative for District 27 in northern and eastern Rapides Parish from 1992 to 1996 and again from 2000 to 2008.

'''Rick Lamar Farrar''', known as '''Rick L. Farrar''' (February 12, 1960 &ndash; December 18, 2018)<ref name=findagrave>Rick Lamar Farrar (1960-2018) - Find A Grave Memorial, accessed May 3, 2021.</ref> was an [[attorney]] in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]], [[Louisiana]], who served as the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] state representative for District 27 in northern and eastern Rapides Parish from 1992 to 1996 and again from 2000 to 2008.

==Background==

==Background==

Farrar was born in [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], the son of Terry Lynn "Buddy" Farrar (1938-2002), a native of Springhill in Webster Parish and the former Marilyn Price (born 1941). In 1978, he graduated from  Pinevlle High School. He completed his undergraduate studies at the [[University of Louisiana at Monroe]], then known as Northeast Louisiana State University at which he was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity, He procured his legal degree from the historically black Southern University School of Law in the capital city of [[Baton Rouge]]. He established his law practice in Pineville.<ref name=findagrave/>.

Farrar was born in [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], the son of Terry Lynn "Buddy" Farrar (1938-2002), a native of Springhill in Webster Parish and the former Marilyn Price (born 1941). In 1978, he graduated from  Pinevlle High School. He completed his undergraduate studies at the [[University of Louisiana at Monroe]], then known as Northeast Louisiana State University at which he was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity, He procured his legal degree from the historically black Southern University School of Law in the capital city of [[Baton Rouge]]. He established his law practice in Pineville.<ref name=findagrave/>

He had two sons, Hunter Newman Farrar and Cole Farrar with his widow, the former Dana Newman. Rick never missed a single one of his sons'  [[football]], [[basketball]], and [[baseball]]  games. He was a [[United Methodist]].<ref name=findagrave/​>

He had two sons, Hunter Newman Farrar and Cole Farrar with his widow, the former Dana Newman. Rick never missed a single one of his sons'  [[football]], [[basketball]], and [[baseball]]  games. He was a [[United Methodist]].<ref name=findagrave/​>

==Election history==

==Election history==

In 1991, Farrar unseated long-term Democratic incumbent Carl Newton Gunter, Jr. (1938-1999), of Deville in the eastern portion of the parish, 7,729 votes (57 percent) to Gunter's 5,929 (43 percent), exactly 1,800 votes.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 19, 1991.</ref> Gunter was tied to [[organized labor]] but also strongly [[pro-life]]. Gunter faced organized opposition from [[feminist]] groups who opposed his opposition against [[abortion]]. On October 21, 1995, Farrar was unseated by the [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Randy Wiggins|Randy E. Wiggins]] of Pineville, a State Farm [[Insurance]] agent in [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]]. Wiggins received 6,350 votes (51.1 percent) to Farrar's 6,077 (48.9 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 21, 1995.</ref> Wiggins is the first Republican ever elected to the Louisiana House from Rapides Parish since the days of [[Reconstruction]].<ref>{{cite web|url=HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf (louisiana.gov), for Rapides Parish, accesed May 3, 2021.</ref>

In 1991, Farrar unseated long-term Democratic incumbent Carl Newton Gunter, Jr. (1938-1999), of Deville in the eastern portion of the parish, 7,729 votes (57 percent) to Gunter's 5,929 (43 percent), exactly 1,800 votes.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 19, 1991.</ref> Gunter was tied to [[organized labor]] but also strongly [[pro-life]]. Gunter faced organized opposition from [[feminist]] groups who opposed his opposition against [[abortion]]. On October 21, 1995, Farrar was unseated by the [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Randy Wiggins|Randy E. Wiggins]] of Pineville, a State Farm [[Insurance]] agent in [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]]. Wiggins received 6,350 votes (51.1 percent) to Farrar's 6,077 (48.9 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 21, 1995.</ref> Wiggins is the first Republican ever elected to the Louisiana House from Rapides Parish since the days of [[Reconstruction]].<ref>{{cite web|url=HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf (louisiana.gov), for Rapides Parish, accessed May 3, 2021.</ref>

In 1999, Farrar staged a comeback when Wiggins ran, not for reelection, but for the state Senate seat vacated by [[B. G. Dyess]], who retired after a single term. Wiggins narrowly lost to former Senator [[Joe McPherson]], a [[business]]man then from Pineville and later Woodworth. On October 23, 1999, in the nonpartisan blanket [[primary]], Randall Bryan "Randy" Tannehill (born 1960), a Republican member of the Rapides Parish School Board also from Pineville, led Farrar, 4,442 (41.4 percent) to, 4,088 (38.1 percent). A third candidate, Democrat Pete Ferrington of Pineville, polled a critical 2,208 votes (20.6 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 23, 1999.</ref> In the ensuing [[general election]], Farrar topped Tannehill, the son of Fred L. Tannehill (born February 6, 1932), a former member of the Louisiana State Board of Education. Farrar led 4,318 (54.6 percent) to Tannehill’s 3,595 (45.4 percent). Because of low turnout in the second round of balloting, without a  [[Governor|gubernatorial]] contest, Farrar underpolled his primary totals by 124 votes; Tannehill, by 493 ballots.<ref>Louisiana Secetary of State, Election Returns,

In 1999, Farrar staged a comeback when Wiggins ran, not for reelection, but for the state Senate seat vacated by [[B. G. Dyess]], who retired after a single term. Wiggins narrowly lost to former Senator [[Joe McPherson]], a [[business]]man then from Pineville and later Woodworth. On October 23, 1999, in the nonpartisan blanket [[primary]], Randall Bryan "Randy" Tannehill (born 1960), a Republican member of the Rapides Parish School Board also from Pineville, led Farrar, 4,442 (41.4 percent) to, 4,088 (38.1 percent). A third candidate, Democrat Pete Ferrington of Pineville, polled a critical 2,208 votes (20.6 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 23, 1999.</ref> In the ensuing [[general election]], Farrar topped Tannehill, the son of Fred L. Tannehill (born February 6, 1932), a former member of the Louisiana State Board of Education. Farrar led 4,318 (54.6 percent) to Tannehill’s 3,595 (45.4 percent). Because of low turnout in the second round of balloting, without a  [[Governor|gubernatorial]] contest, Farrar underpolled his primary totals by 124 votes; Tannehill, by 493 ballots.<ref>Louisiana Secetary of State, Election Returns,