Changes

Beard entered the mayoral race against three major, including the [[African-American]] [[dentist]] [[C. O. Simpkins, Sr.]], a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] [[civil rights]] activist, and two fellow council members, Republican Carolyn Calhoun Whitehurst and Democrat Bill Bush, a businessman, led in the pre-election polls. Whitehurst, a [[real estate]] broker, later Carolyn C. Huckabay (1935-2022), is descended from a prominent DeSoto Parish: her father, [[Riemer Calhoun]], was a Democratic state senator for two terms from 1944 to 1952. Whitehurst, who represented a southeast Shreveport council district, had the support of ''The Shreveport Times.''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/local/2014/10/01/bush-former-councilman-dies-fall/16549359|title=Bill Bush obituary|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date=October 1, 2014|accessdate=November 18, 2014}}</ref>

Beard entered the mayoral race against three major, including the [[African-American]] [[dentist]] [[C. O. Simpkins, Sr.]], a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] [[civil rights]] activist, and two fellow council members, Republican Carolyn Calhoun Whitehurst and Democrat Bill Bush, a businessman, led in the pre-election polls. Whitehurst, a [[real estate]] broker, later Carolyn C. Huckabay (1935-2022), is descended from a prominent DeSoto Parish: her father, [[Riemer Calhoun]], was a Democratic state senator for two terms from 1944 to 1952. Whitehurst, who represented a southeast Shreveport council district, had the support of ''The Shreveport Times.''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/local/2014/10/01/bush-former-councilman-dies-fall/16549359|title=Bill Bush obituary|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date=October 1, 2014|accessdate=November 18, 2014}}</ref>

Simpkins led in the primary with 31 percent of the ballots cast, but Beard secured the second slot to proceed to the [[general election]].<ref> In the second round of balloting, Beard prevailed, 38,604 votes (59 percent) to Simpkins' 26,341 (41 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 6, 1990.</ref>

Simpkins led in the primary with 31 percent of the ballots cast, but Beard secured the second slot to proceed to the [[general election]]. In the second round of balloting, Beard prevailed, 38,604 votes (59 percent) to Simpkins' 26,341 (41 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 6, 1990.</ref>

Soon after taking office, Beard appointed her nephew, [[Steve Prator]], then a 17-year member of the Shreveport Police Department as chief of police, a position that he held until 1999. Prator successfully sought the office of Caddo Parish sheriff and became the first Republican since Reconstruction to hold that position.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://prator.org|title=Caddo Sheriff Support|publisher=prator.org|accessdate=May 23, 2012}}</ref> He was a successful candidate for a sixth term in the primary held on October 12, 2019.

Soon after taking office, Beard appointed her nephew, [[Steve Prator]], then a 17-year member of the Shreveport Police Department as chief of police, a position that he held until 1999. Prator successfully sought the office of Caddo Parish sheriff and became the first Republican since Reconstruction to hold that position.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://prator.org|title=Caddo Sheriff Support|publisher=prator.org|accessdate=May 23, 2012}}</ref> He was a successful candidate for a sixth term in the primary held on October 12, 2019.