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'''Francis Coleman Thompson''' (born October 29, 1941)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/francis-thompson/e820551711210|title=Francis Thompson|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=July 19, 2019}}</ref> is a wealthy developer from Delhi in Richland Parish, [[Louisiana]], who served as a senior [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] state representative from 1975 until 2007. Then by virtue of term limits, Thompson was ineligible to have sought a ninth four-year term in the nonpartisan blanket [[primary]] held on October 20, 2007. In 2019, Thompson was elected once again to the state House once again. In the interim between 2008 and 2020, he was a state senator.

'''Francis Coleman Thompson''' (born October 29, 1941)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/francis-thompson/e820551711210|title=Francis Thompson|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=July 19, 2019}}</ref> is a wealthy developer from Delhi in Richland Parish, [[Louisiana]], who served as a senior [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] state representative from 1975 until 2007. Then by virtue of term limits, Thompson was ineligible to have sought a ninth four-year term in the nonpartisan blanket [[primary]] held on October 20, 2007. In 2019, Thompson was elected once again to the state House once again. In the interim between 2008 and 2020, he was a state senator.

Instead, Thompson was elected outright over two fellow Democrats to the District 34 seat in the Louisiana State Senate vacated by the also term-limited Charles Jones (born 1950) of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]]. Thompson received 13,763 votes (51 percent) to 10,937 (42 percent) for [[African-American]] State Representative Willie Hunter, Jr., of Monroe and 2,113 (8 percent) for Paxton J. Branch.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 20, 2007.</ref> Ten days after he vacated the seat to Thompson, Charles Jones was charged with two counts of making and subscribing a false federal income tax return and one count of tax evasion.<ref>''[[Monroe News Star]], January 25, 2008.</ref> Hunter charged irregularities in the primary election in part on grounds that certain Thompson supporters in heavily black East Carroll Parish distributed food packages to the poor with instructions that they should vote for Francis Thompson to maintain such assistance.<ref>''The Monroe News Star,'' November 10, 2007.</ref>

 

Instead, Thompson was elected outright over two fellow Democrats to the District 34 seat in the Louisiana State Senate vacated by the also term-limited Charles Jones (born 1950) of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]]. Thompson received 13,763 votes (51 percent) to 10,937 (42 percent) for [[African-American]] State Representative Willie Hunter, Jr., of Monroe and 2,113 (8 percent) for Paxton J. Branch.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 20, 2007.</ref> Ten days after he vacated the seat to Thompson, Charles Jones was charged with two counts of making and subscribing a false federal income tax return and one count of tax evasion.<ref>''Monroe News Star'' January 25, 2008.</ref> Hunter charged irregularities in the primary election in part on grounds that certain Thompson supporters in heavily black East Carroll Parish distributed food packages to the poor with instructions that they should vote for Francis Thompson to maintain such assistance.<ref>''The Monroe News Star,'' November 10, 2007.</ref>

In addition to his own Richland Parish, Thompson's House district included all or portions of East Carroll, Madison, Morehouse, Ouachita, and West Carroll parishes in northeast Louisiana. His Senate district included all or parts parts of Concordia, East Carroll, Madison, Ouachita, Richland, and Tensas parishes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://senate.la.gov/senators/senpage.asp?SenID=34|title=Senator Francis C. Thompson|publisher=Louisiana State Senate|accessdate=July 19, 2019}}</ref>

In addition to his own Richland Parish, Thompson's House district included all or portions of East Carroll, Madison, Morehouse, Ouachita, and West Carroll parishes in northeast Louisiana. His Senate district included all or parts parts of Concordia, East Carroll, Madison, Ouachita, Richland, and Tensas parishes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://senate.la.gov/senators/senpage.asp?SenID=34|title=Senator Francis C. Thompson|publisher=Louisiana State Senate|accessdate=July 19, 2019}}</ref>

In 1996, Thompson ran for the open Fifth District seat in the United States House of Representatives. He polled 50,144 votes (28 percent) and went into a general election with the Republican ophthalmologist [[John Cooksey]] of Monroe, who led in the nonpartisan blanket primary with 60,853 ballots (34 percent). Former U.S. Representative [[Clyde Holloway]] of Forest Hill in Rapides Parish trailed in third place with 48,226 (27 percent).<ref>Louisiana election returns, September 21, 1996," Sos.louisiana.gov., accessed January 2, 2009.</ref> Holloway then endorsed Cooksey, who defeated Thompson by a comfortable margin. Cooksey received 135,990 votes (58 percent) to the more liberal Thompson's 97,363 (42 percent).<ref>Louisiana election returns, November 5, 1996, Sos.louisiana.gov, accessed  January 2, 2009.</ref> Cooksey served three terms before leaving the U.S. House early in 2003. Cooksey's campaign manager, [[Lee Fletcher]], was thereafter named as his chief of staff. Fletcher tried to win the House seat himself in 2002 but lost to Democrat (later Republican) [[Rodney Alexander]].

In 1996, Thompson ran for the open Fifth District seat in the United States House of Representatives. He polled 50,144 votes (28 percent) and went into a general election with the Republican ophthalmologist [[John Cooksey]] of Monroe, who led in the nonpartisan blanket primary with 60,853 ballots (34 percent). Former U.S. Representative [[Clyde Holloway]] of Forest Hill in Rapides Parish trailed in third place with 48,226 (27 percent).<ref>Louisiana election returns, September 21, 1996," Sos.louisiana.gov., accessed January 2, 2009.</ref> Holloway then endorsed Cooksey, who defeated Thompson by a comfortable margin. Cooksey received 135,990 votes (58 percent) to the more liberal Thompson's 97,363 (42 percent).<ref>Louisiana election returns, November 5, 1996, Sos.louisiana.gov, accessed  January 2, 2009.</ref> Cooksey served three terms before leaving the U.S. House early in 2003. Cooksey's campaign manager, [[Lee Fletcher]], was thereafter named as his chief of staff. Fletcher tried to win the House seat himself in 2002 but lost to Democrat (later Republican) [[Rodney Alexander]].

Though he is a Democrat, Thompson broke party ranks in the 2003 gubernatorial primary to support [[Republican Party|Republican]] candidate [[Hunt Downer|Huntington Blair "Hunt" Downer, Jr.]] of Houma in Terrebonne Parish, a former United States Army officer and state House Speaker, who finished sixth in the balloting though he had the support of a cross-section of state legislators from both parties.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/934952/posts|title=33 State Legislators Announce Support for Hunt Downer (LA Gov)|publisher=[[Free Republic]]|date=June 23, 2003|accessdate=July 19, 2019}}</ref>

As a Democrat, Thompson broke party ranks in the 2003 gubernatorial primary to support the unsuccessful Republican candidate [[Hunt Downer|Huntington Blair "Hunt" Downer, Jr.]] of Houma in Terrebonne Parish, a former United States Army officer and state House Speaker, who finished sixth in the balloting though he had the support of a cross-section of state legislators from both parties.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/934952/posts|title=33 State Legislators Announce Support for Hunt Downer (LA Gov)|publisher=[[Free Republic]]|date=June 23, 2003|accessdate=July 19, 2019}}</ref>

In 2005, Francis Thompson was inducted into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield.<ref>New inductions, Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame," Cityofwinnfield.com., accessed August 22, 2009.</ref> In 2015, he was unopposed for reelection to the Senate.

In 2005, Francis Thompson was inducted into the [[Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame]] in Winnfield.<ref>New inductions, Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame," Cityofwinnfield.com., accessed August 22, 2009.</ref> In 2015, he was unopposed for reelection to the Senate.

In 2017, Thompson successfully introduced legislation to name the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts in [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]] in honor of the late state Representative Jimmy D. Long, who was among those instrumental in establishment of the institution through Long's chairmanship of the House Education Committee.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ksla.com/story/35592915/house-approves-renaming-louisiana-school-for-math-science-and-the-arts/|title=House approves renaming Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts|publisher=KSLA-TV ([[CBS]] in [[Shreveport]])|date=June 5, 2017|accessdate=July 19, 2019}}</ref>

In 2017, Thompson successfully introduced legislation to name the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts in [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]] in honor of the late state Representative Jimmy D. Long, who was among those instrumental in establishment of the institution through Long's chairmanship of the House Education Committee.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ksla.com/story/35592915/house-approves-renaming-louisiana-school-for-math-science-and-the-arts/|title=House approves renaming Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts|publisher=KSLA-TV ([[CBS]] in [[Shreveport]])|date=June 5, 2017|accessdate=July 19, 2019}}</ref>

[[Category:Louisiana People]]

[[Category:Louisiana People]]

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[[Category:Educators]]

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[[Category:Politicians]]

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[[Category:State Representatives]]

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[[Category:State Senators]]

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[[Category:Former Democrats]]

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[[Category:Presbyterians]]

[[Category:Presbyterians]]

[[Category:Inductees of the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame]]

[[Category:Inductees of the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame]]