Changes

On May 17, 2018, Reynolds confirmed that he would vacate his House seat on June 4 at the end of a special session. He instead became state parks director under the office of Lieutenant Governor [[Billy Nungesser]], a [[Moderate Republican]]. In addition to the twenty-two state parks, he will oversee the eighteen historic sites in the state.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thetowntalk.com/story/news/2018/05/17/new-state-parks-director-familiar-face-capitol/618299002/|author=Greg Hilburn|title=Meet the new state parks director|publisher=''[[Alexandria Town Talk]]''|accessdate=May 17, 2018}}</ref>  

On May 17, 2018, Reynolds confirmed that he would vacate his House seat on June 4 at the end of a special session. He instead became state parks director under the office of Lieutenant Governor [[Billy Nungesser]], a [[Moderate Republican]]. In addition to the twenty-two state parks, he will oversee the eighteen historic sites in the state.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thetowntalk.com/story/news/2018/05/17/new-state-parks-director-familiar-face-capitol/618299002/|author=Greg Hilburn|title=Meet the new state parks director|publisher=''[[Alexandria Town Talk]]''|accessdate=May 17, 2018}}</ref>  

A native of [[Shreveport]], Reynolds<ref>{{cite web|url=https://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/134722/gene-reynolds|title=Representative Gene Reynolds|publisher=votesmart.org|accessdate=May 18, 2012}}</ref> won a low-turnout [[general election]] held on November 19, 2011, when he defeated the Republican candidate, Jerri Lynn Ray de Pingre' of [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]], a former ""Miss Minden" and educator-turned-businesswoman, 4,232 (54.7 percent) to 3,508 (45.3 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/11192011/11192011_Legislative.html|title=General election returns, November 19, 2011|publisher=staticresults.sos.la.gov|accessdate=May 18, 2012}}</ref> De Pingre is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Ray and the wife of Benny de Pingre', whom she married in 1981. Her father-in-law, [[Major de Pingre']], was a journalist-turned-businessman in Minden.

A native of [[Shreveport]], Reynolds<ref>{{cite web|url=https://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/134722/gene-reynolds|title=Representative Gene Reynolds|publisher=votesmart.org|accessdate=May 18, 2012}}</ref> won a low-turnout [[general election]] held on November 19, 2011, when he defeated the Republican candidate, Jerri Lynn Ray de Pingre' of [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]], a former ""Miss Minden" and educator-turned-businesswoman, 4,232 votes (54.7 percent) to 3,508 (45.3 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/11192011/11192011_Legislative.html|title=General election returns, November 19, 2011|publisher=staticresults.sos.la.gov|accessdate=May 18, 2012}}</ref> De Pingre is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Ray and the former wife of Benny de Pingre', whom she married in 1981. Her father-in-law, [[Major de Pingre']], was a journalist-turned-businessman in Minden.

In the legislative race, de Pingre carried the backing of Republican then [[U.S. Representative]] [[John Fleming]], also of Minden. De Pingre later served a stint as the Minden [[Chamber of Commerce]]. Two other Republicans, Gerald Holland of Springhill and [[Ronnie Broughton]] of Minden, who later joined the [[Constitution Party]], were eliminated in the race for the House seat in the October 22, 2011, nonpartisan blanket primary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/10222011/10222011_Legislative.html|title=Primary election returns, October 22, 2011|publisher=staticresults.sos.la.gov|accessdate=May 18, 2012}}</ref>

In the legislative race, de Pingre carried the backing of Republican then [[U.S. Representative]] [[John Fleming]], also of Minden. De Pingre later served a stint as the Minden [[Chamber of Commerce]]. Two other Republicans, Gerald Holland of Springhill and [[Ronnie Broughton]] of Minden, who later joined the [[Constitution Party]], were eliminated in the race for the House seat in the October 22, 2011, nonpartisan blanket primary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/10222011/10222011_Legislative.html|title=Primary election returns, October 22, 2011|publisher=staticresults.sos.la.gov|accessdate=May 18, 2012}}</ref>