Block, Upload, Automoderated users, edit, move, protect, rollback
57,799
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Created page with "{{Infobox officeholder | name=Anthony Claude "Buddy" Leach, Jr | image=Buddy Leach of LA.png | birth_date=March 30, 1934 | birth_place=Leesville, Vernon Parish<br>[[Louisiana]..."
{{Infobox officeholder
| name=Anthony Claude "Buddy" Leach, Jr
| image=Buddy Leach of LA.png
| birth_date=March 30, 1934
| birth_place=Leesville, Vernon Parish<br>[[Louisiana]], USA
| death_date=August 6, 2022 (aged 88)
| death_place=[[Baton Rouge]], Louisiana
| resting_place=Prien Memorial Park in [[Lake Charles]], Louisiana
| office=[[United States Representative]]<br> for Louisiana's 4th congressional district
| term+start=January 3, 1979
| term_end=January 3, 1981
| preceded=[[Joe Waggonner|Joe D. Waggonne, Jr.]]
| succeeded=[[Buddy Roemer]]
| office2=Chairman of the Louisiana [[Democratic Party]]
| term_start2=January 31, 2010
| term_end2=April 28, 2012
| preceded2=Chris Whittington
| succeeded2=[[Karen Carter Peterson]]
| office3=Louisiana State Representative <br> for Allen, Beauregard, and Vernon parishes
| term_start3=1968
| term_end3=1979
| term_start4=1984
| term_end4=1988
| preceded3=Bert A. Adams
| succeeded3=William H. West
| preceded4=William H. West
| succeeded4=John R. Smith
| religion=[[Episcopalian]]
| occupation= [[Businessman]]; [[Attorney]]
| alma_mater=[[Louisiana State University]]<br>
[LSU Law Center
| spouse = Laura Alexander Leach
| children=Mary Leach Werner<br>
Lucy Leach Davenport<br>
Claude Alexander Leach<br>
'''Parents''':<br>
Claude, Sr., and Lucille Leach
'''Sister''':<br>
Carolyn Leach Huntoon
| branch=[[United States Army]]
|serviceyears=1956-1959
}}
'''Anthony Claude Leach, Jr.''', known as '''Buddy Leach''' (March 30, 1934 – August 6, 2022), was a wealthy [[business]]man and [[politician]] who represented [[Louisiana]]'s 4th congressional district for a single term from 1979 to 1981. Earlier, he was a four-term state representative from his native Leesville in Vernon Parish. He was also the chairman for two years of the Louisiana [[Democratic Party]] until he was ousted in 2012 by the [[African-American]] then state Senator [[Karen Carter Peterson]] of [[New Orleans]].<ref name=Biography>{{cite web|title=Leach, Anthony Claude, Jr.|url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=L000167|work=Biographical Directory of the United States Congress|accessdate=6 February 2013}}</ref><ref name=Anderson>{{cite news
|url = http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/04/karen_carter_peterson_ousts_bu.html
|name=Ed Anderson
|date = 2012-04-29
|newspaper =New Orleans Times-Picayune
|issue = Saint Tammany Edition
|accessdate = 2012-04-30
|page = A1
|title = Karen Carter Peterson ousts Buddy Leach as leader of Louisiana Democratic Party
}}</ref>
==Background==
The son of a plumber, Leach amassed a fortune in land, cattle, [[petroleum]], and [[natural gas]] holdings.<ref>Buddy Leach, a wealthy businessman who served in Congress and the state House, dies at 88 | State Politics | theadvocate.com,</ref> He graduated in 1951 from Leesville High School and then attended [[Louisiana State University]] in the capital city of [[Baton Rouge]], from which he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree. In 1954, he was diagnosed with [[polio]]. Though he suffered from temporary paralysis but eventually recovered from the disease.<ref name="Capitol Watch">{{cite web|last=Hasten|first=Mike|title=Leach wants to clean up state budget|url=http://capitolwatch.reallouisiana.com/html/C7486D32-F38B-4971-9B03-C18D4A9A106C.shtml|work=Capitol Watch|publisher=Louisiana Gannet News|accessdate=6 February 2013}}</ref>
After attending college, Leach served in the [[United States Army]] from 1956 to 1959. In 1963, he obtained his [[Juris Doctorate]] from the LSU Law Cente]. In 1964, he was admitted to the state bar association and began his law practice in Leesville.<ref name=Biography /> After the death of his father, Leach began running the family plumbing business. Leach then sold the business after finding new jobs for all of the employees. He later became president and chief executive officer of Sweet Lake Land and Oil Company and North American Land Company in [[Lake Charles]].<ref name="Capitol Watch" />
==Political life==
In 1968, Leach was first elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives in a two-member district with fellow Democrat [[E. Holman Jones]] of Oakdale in Allen Parish. Leach was reelected in 1972 and 1976. In 1979, he gave up his seat to run for Congress. He served only one term as a U.S. congressman, having been defeated in the 1980 election by [[Buddy Roemer]], later a one-term governor of the state. In 1983, Leach sought to regain his former state legislative seat.<ref>"Leach will try again for La. House seat," ''[[Minden Press-Herald]],'' March 23, 1983, p. 1.</ref> He unseated the incumbent Democrat, William H. West. In his last term as a state legislator, Leach served on the House Ways and Means committee. In this capacity, he recommended that a tax be placed on foreign oil processed within the state.<ref name=Biography /><ref name="Capitol Watch" />
In 2003, Leach launched his gubernatorial campaign in which he advocated fundamentally changing the way state government operated. He suggested that the state use a "brillo pad" to "scrub the budget." Health care was among his priorities. Many young voters were attracted to his campaign's message. He had teams of volunteers set up in [[Shreveport]], Baton Rouge, and New Orleans.<ref name="Capitol Watch" /> Many other candidates were in the race, including Democrats [[Kathleen Blanco]] and [[Richard Ieyoub]]. Republicans ran [[Bobby Jindal]] as an alternative choice for voters. In the end, Leach came in fourth place behind Richard Ieyoub, Kathleen Blanco, and Bobby Jindal, respectively. Kathleen Blanco went on to win the general election and serve a single term, as she was unseated in 2007 by Bobby Jindal.
In 2010, Leach won a special election for the chairmanship of his state's Democratic Party.<ref name="Associated Press">{{cite web|last=Deslatte|first=Melinda|title=Louisiana Democratic Party chairman wants to retain post|url=http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/03/louisiana_democratic_party_cha_1.html|publisher=The Associated Press|accessdate=12 February 2013}}</ref> During his tenure as chairman, the party struggled to field candidates for statewide offices.<ref name=Rebuild>{{cite web|last=Deslatte|first=Melinda|title=Louisiana Democrats look to rebuild grassroots base|url=http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/12/louisiana_democrats_look_to_re.html|publisher=The Associated Press|accessdate=12 February 2013}}</ref> The party was unable to find a well-funded candidate to run in 2011 against Governor Jindal. For the first time since [[Reconstruction]] Democrats lost both houses of the state legislature to Republicans. On April 28, 2012, Leach lost his reelection bid as state party chair.<ref name=Anderson />
Though the Republicans hold legislative majorities still, they are crippled by twenty-three House members who rejected the conservative candidate for Speaker in 2020 and often side with Democratic Governor [[John Bel Edwards]]. The group is known as the [[Louisiana Republican Fraud Squad]].
Leach died of congestive heart failure in Baton Rouge at the age of eighty-eight.
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leach, Buddy}}
[[Category:Louisiana People]]
[[Category:Attorneys]]
[[Category:Business People]]
[[Category:Farmers]]
[[Category:State Representatives]]
[[Category:Former United States Representatives]]
[[Category:Democrats]]
[[Category:Episcopalians]]
[[[Category:United States Army]]
| name=Anthony Claude "Buddy" Leach, Jr
| image=Buddy Leach of LA.png
| birth_date=March 30, 1934
| birth_place=Leesville, Vernon Parish<br>[[Louisiana]], USA
| death_date=August 6, 2022 (aged 88)
| death_place=[[Baton Rouge]], Louisiana
| resting_place=Prien Memorial Park in [[Lake Charles]], Louisiana
| office=[[United States Representative]]<br> for Louisiana's 4th congressional district
| term+start=January 3, 1979
| term_end=January 3, 1981
| preceded=[[Joe Waggonner|Joe D. Waggonne, Jr.]]
| succeeded=[[Buddy Roemer]]
| office2=Chairman of the Louisiana [[Democratic Party]]
| term_start2=January 31, 2010
| term_end2=April 28, 2012
| preceded2=Chris Whittington
| succeeded2=[[Karen Carter Peterson]]
| office3=Louisiana State Representative <br> for Allen, Beauregard, and Vernon parishes
| term_start3=1968
| term_end3=1979
| term_start4=1984
| term_end4=1988
| preceded3=Bert A. Adams
| succeeded3=William H. West
| preceded4=William H. West
| succeeded4=John R. Smith
| religion=[[Episcopalian]]
| occupation= [[Businessman]]; [[Attorney]]
| alma_mater=[[Louisiana State University]]<br>
[LSU Law Center
| spouse = Laura Alexander Leach
| children=Mary Leach Werner<br>
Lucy Leach Davenport<br>
Claude Alexander Leach<br>
'''Parents''':<br>
Claude, Sr., and Lucille Leach
'''Sister''':<br>
Carolyn Leach Huntoon
| branch=[[United States Army]]
|serviceyears=1956-1959
}}
'''Anthony Claude Leach, Jr.''', known as '''Buddy Leach''' (March 30, 1934 – August 6, 2022), was a wealthy [[business]]man and [[politician]] who represented [[Louisiana]]'s 4th congressional district for a single term from 1979 to 1981. Earlier, he was a four-term state representative from his native Leesville in Vernon Parish. He was also the chairman for two years of the Louisiana [[Democratic Party]] until he was ousted in 2012 by the [[African-American]] then state Senator [[Karen Carter Peterson]] of [[New Orleans]].<ref name=Biography>{{cite web|title=Leach, Anthony Claude, Jr.|url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=L000167|work=Biographical Directory of the United States Congress|accessdate=6 February 2013}}</ref><ref name=Anderson>{{cite news
|url = http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/04/karen_carter_peterson_ousts_bu.html
|name=Ed Anderson
|date = 2012-04-29
|newspaper =New Orleans Times-Picayune
|issue = Saint Tammany Edition
|accessdate = 2012-04-30
|page = A1
|title = Karen Carter Peterson ousts Buddy Leach as leader of Louisiana Democratic Party
}}</ref>
==Background==
The son of a plumber, Leach amassed a fortune in land, cattle, [[petroleum]], and [[natural gas]] holdings.<ref>Buddy Leach, a wealthy businessman who served in Congress and the state House, dies at 88 | State Politics | theadvocate.com,</ref> He graduated in 1951 from Leesville High School and then attended [[Louisiana State University]] in the capital city of [[Baton Rouge]], from which he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree. In 1954, he was diagnosed with [[polio]]. Though he suffered from temporary paralysis but eventually recovered from the disease.<ref name="Capitol Watch">{{cite web|last=Hasten|first=Mike|title=Leach wants to clean up state budget|url=http://capitolwatch.reallouisiana.com/html/C7486D32-F38B-4971-9B03-C18D4A9A106C.shtml|work=Capitol Watch|publisher=Louisiana Gannet News|accessdate=6 February 2013}}</ref>
After attending college, Leach served in the [[United States Army]] from 1956 to 1959. In 1963, he obtained his [[Juris Doctorate]] from the LSU Law Cente]. In 1964, he was admitted to the state bar association and began his law practice in Leesville.<ref name=Biography /> After the death of his father, Leach began running the family plumbing business. Leach then sold the business after finding new jobs for all of the employees. He later became president and chief executive officer of Sweet Lake Land and Oil Company and North American Land Company in [[Lake Charles]].<ref name="Capitol Watch" />
==Political life==
In 1968, Leach was first elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives in a two-member district with fellow Democrat [[E. Holman Jones]] of Oakdale in Allen Parish. Leach was reelected in 1972 and 1976. In 1979, he gave up his seat to run for Congress. He served only one term as a U.S. congressman, having been defeated in the 1980 election by [[Buddy Roemer]], later a one-term governor of the state. In 1983, Leach sought to regain his former state legislative seat.<ref>"Leach will try again for La. House seat," ''[[Minden Press-Herald]],'' March 23, 1983, p. 1.</ref> He unseated the incumbent Democrat, William H. West. In his last term as a state legislator, Leach served on the House Ways and Means committee. In this capacity, he recommended that a tax be placed on foreign oil processed within the state.<ref name=Biography /><ref name="Capitol Watch" />
In 2003, Leach launched his gubernatorial campaign in which he advocated fundamentally changing the way state government operated. He suggested that the state use a "brillo pad" to "scrub the budget." Health care was among his priorities. Many young voters were attracted to his campaign's message. He had teams of volunteers set up in [[Shreveport]], Baton Rouge, and New Orleans.<ref name="Capitol Watch" /> Many other candidates were in the race, including Democrats [[Kathleen Blanco]] and [[Richard Ieyoub]]. Republicans ran [[Bobby Jindal]] as an alternative choice for voters. In the end, Leach came in fourth place behind Richard Ieyoub, Kathleen Blanco, and Bobby Jindal, respectively. Kathleen Blanco went on to win the general election and serve a single term, as she was unseated in 2007 by Bobby Jindal.
In 2010, Leach won a special election for the chairmanship of his state's Democratic Party.<ref name="Associated Press">{{cite web|last=Deslatte|first=Melinda|title=Louisiana Democratic Party chairman wants to retain post|url=http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/03/louisiana_democratic_party_cha_1.html|publisher=The Associated Press|accessdate=12 February 2013}}</ref> During his tenure as chairman, the party struggled to field candidates for statewide offices.<ref name=Rebuild>{{cite web|last=Deslatte|first=Melinda|title=Louisiana Democrats look to rebuild grassroots base|url=http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/12/louisiana_democrats_look_to_re.html|publisher=The Associated Press|accessdate=12 February 2013}}</ref> The party was unable to find a well-funded candidate to run in 2011 against Governor Jindal. For the first time since [[Reconstruction]] Democrats lost both houses of the state legislature to Republicans. On April 28, 2012, Leach lost his reelection bid as state party chair.<ref name=Anderson />
Though the Republicans hold legislative majorities still, they are crippled by twenty-three House members who rejected the conservative candidate for Speaker in 2020 and often side with Democratic Governor [[John Bel Edwards]]. The group is known as the [[Louisiana Republican Fraud Squad]].
Leach died of congestive heart failure in Baton Rouge at the age of eighty-eight.
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leach, Buddy}}
[[Category:Louisiana People]]
[[Category:Attorneys]]
[[Category:Business People]]
[[Category:Farmers]]
[[Category:State Representatives]]
[[Category:Former United States Representatives]]
[[Category:Democrats]]
[[Category:Episcopalians]]
[[[Category:United States Army]]