Tom McVea
| Thomas Houston "Tom" McVea, Sr. | |
Louisiana State Representative for
District 62 (the Florida Parishes of East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Livingston, St. Helena Parish, Tangipahoa, and West Feliciana; in 2012, the district was redrawn to include only East Baton Rouge and the two Feliciana parishes, which had also been the pattern before 1991.) | |
| In office 2000 – 2012 | |
| Preceded by | John D. Travis |
|---|---|
| Succeeded by | Kenny Havard |
| In office 1980 – 1984 | |
| Preceded by | Joe Allen Fudge |
| Succeeded by | John D. Travis |
| Born | March 2, 1945 Columbia, Boone County Missouri, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democrat-turned-Republican (1999) |
| Spouse(s) | Antoinette Stephens "Toni" McVea |
| Children | Thomas McVea, Jr. (There may be other children too.) |
| Residence | St. Francisville, West Feliciana Parish |
| Alma mater | St. Francisville High School |
| Occupation | Cattleman |
| Religion | Presbyterian |
Thomas Houston McVea, Sr., known as Tom McVea (born March 2, 1945), is a cattleman from St. Francisville, Louisiana, who is a Republican former state representative for District 62, which encompasses parts of the Florida Parishes of East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Livingston, St. Helena, Tangipahoa, and his own West Feliciana. The district office is located in Jackson in East Feliciana Parish.[1] In 2012, the district was reconfigured to include only parts of East Baton Rouge Parish and the two Felicianas.
Background
McVea was born in Columbia in Boone County in central Missouri. He graduated from St. Francisville High School, since renamed West Feliciana High School. In 1972, he completed his undergraduate education at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. He has lived in West Feliciana, where he formerly served on the police jury, the governing council of the parish. McVea is married to the former Antoinette "Toni" Stephens. He is a Presbyterian.
Elections
From 1980 to 1984, during the administration of Republican Governor David C. Treen, McVea was a Democratic member of the state House. More than sixteen years later, he returned to represent the reconfigured District 62, having won a special election in 2000 called because of the resignation of Democratic Representative John D. Travis of Jackson in East Feliciana Parish. By the time that McVea began his second three-term stint in the legislature, he had already switched to the GOP.[2] Under legislative rules, McVea was term-limited in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 22, 2011.
On November 7, 2000, McVea won the special election runoff to fill the District 62 seat vacated by John Travis. He defeated a Democrat, Myron Hall, 9,161 votes (52 percent) to 8,385 (48 percent).[3]
McVea was unopposed in 2003. In 2007, he polled nearly 57 percent of the vote against a Democrat, David Ridder (34.8 percent), and another Republican, Anthony J. Denenea, Jr. (9.6 percent).[4] McVea was able to win as a Republican because only half of the district includes the Democratic strongholds of St. Helena and East and West Feliciana parishes, the latter his home base.[5]
In 2013, former Representative McVea ran unsuccessfully for the newly established position of president of West Feliciana Parish. He was defeated, 59-41 percent, by another Republican, Kevin Couhig, the CEO of Source Capital Corp., who had never before sought public office. Couhig is a brother of Rob Couhig, a New Orleans businessman and frequent Republican political candidate. Under the new West Feliciana Parish charter, four single-member council districts and one at-large council member superseded the former seven police jurors, whose offices were phased out of existence. Kevin Couhig is an advocate of what he calls "smart growth" so that economic development will expand with the parish maintaining its scenic beauty.[6]
Legislative matters
House District 62 in East and West Feliciana parishes has considerable state government employment at hospitals and correctional faciities. With bed-and-breakfast homes and antique shops, West Feliciana is a haven for tourists. There are also some large employers, including chemical plants and Entergy’s Riverbend Nuclear Energy plant. The district supports dairy and cattle farming. Families and white collar workers have increasingly vacated the Baton Rouge area in search of more tranquil towns like St. Francisville and surrounding communities in West Feliciana Parish.
As a representative, McVea pushed for vocational education in high schools and advocated for improved teacher salaries.[5] He pushed for a plan to obtain permanent financing for the state's highways. He has encouraged the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism to study ways of raising additional revenue through the marketing of the state's historic sites.[5] In his final term, McVea was the vice chairman of the House Insurance Committee. He also served on Appropriations, the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget, and the Special Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs.[1]
In the contest to succeed the term-limited McVea, Republican Kenny Havard of St. Francisville defeated the Democrat Ken Dawson in the general election held on November 19, 2011. Havard polled 6,626 votes (61.4 percent) to Dawson's 4,170 (38.6 percent).[7]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Rep. Thomas H. McVea. house.louisiana.gov. Retrieved on July 18, 2011; no longer on-line.
- ↑ Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2020. Louisiana House of Representatives. Retrieved on January 13, 2020.
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 7, 2000.
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 20, 2007.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 House member, Rep. McVea (R). mobilelgs.com. Retrieved on July 18, 2011; no longer on-line.
- ↑ Steven Ward (November 18, 2013). Couhig becomes first West Feliciana Parish president. The Baton Rouge Advocate. Retrieved on January 13, 2020.
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns (Legislative), November 19, 2011.
