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Created page with "{{Infobox officeholder | name=Thomas Houston "Tom" McVea |nationality=American | office=Louisiana State Representative<br> for District 62 (the Flo..."
{{Infobox officeholder
| name=Thomas Houston "Tom" McVea
|nationality=[[United States|American]]
| office=[[Louisiana]] State Representative<br> 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 prior to the election of 1991.)]]
| term_start=2000
| term_end=2012
| preceded=John D. Travis
| succeeded=Kenny Havard
| term_start2=1980
| term_end2=1984
| preceded2=Joe Allen Fudge
| succeeded2=John D. Travis
| party=[[Democratic Party|Democrat]]-turned-[[Republican Party|Republican]] (1999)
| birth_date=March 2, 1945
| birth_place=Columbia, Boone County<br>[[Missouri]], [[United States|USA]]
| alma_mater=St. Francisville High School<br>
[[Louisiana State University]]
| occupation=[[Cattle]]man
| residence=St. Francisville, West Feliciana Parish
| spouse=Antoinette Stephens "Toni" McVea
| children=
| religion=[[Presbyterianism|Presbyterian]]}}
'''Thomas Houston McVea''', known as '''Tom McVea''' (born March 2, 1945), is a [[cattle]]man from St. Francisville, [[Louisiana]], who is a [[Republican Party|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, Louisiana|Jackson]] in East Feliciana Parish.<ref name=house>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_Reps/members.asp?ID=62|title=Rep. Thomas H. McVea|publisher=house.louisiana.gov|accessdate=July 18, 2011}}</ref> 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 Party|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 [[Republican Party|GOP]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2020|publisher=Louisiana House of Representatives|accessdate=January 13, 2020}}</ref> 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).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 7, 2000.</ref>
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).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 20, 2007.</ref> 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.<ref name=mlgs>{{cite web|url=http://www.mobilelgs.com/McVeaThomasH.html|title=House member, Rep. McVea (R)|publisher=mobilelgs.com|accessdate=July 18, 2011; no longer on-line}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://theadvocate.com/home/7593402-125/couhig-leading-among-early-voters|author=Steven Ward|title=Couhig becomes first West Feliciana Parish president|date=November 18, 2013|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|accessdate=May 30, 2014}}</ref>
==Legislative matters==
House District 62 in East and West Feliciana parishes has considerable state government employment at hospitals and correctional faciities. West Feliciana is a tourist mecca with antique shops and bed and breakfast facilities. 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 quieter towns like St. Francisville and surrounding communities in West Feliciana Parish.
As a representative, McVea pushed for vocational education in high schools<ref name=mlgs/> and advocated for improved teacher salaries.<ref name=mlgs/> 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.<ref name=mlgs/> 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.<ref name=house/>
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).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 19, 2011.</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McVea, Tom}}
[[Category:Louisiana People]]
[[Category:Missouri]]
[[Category:Business People]]
[[Category:Politicians]]
[[Category:Former Democrats]]
[[Category:Republicans]]
[[Category:Presbyterians]]
| name=Thomas Houston "Tom" McVea
|nationality=[[United States|American]]
| office=[[Louisiana]] State Representative<br> 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 prior to the election of 1991.)]]
| term_start=2000
| term_end=2012
| preceded=John D. Travis
| succeeded=Kenny Havard
| term_start2=1980
| term_end2=1984
| preceded2=Joe Allen Fudge
| succeeded2=John D. Travis
| party=[[Democratic Party|Democrat]]-turned-[[Republican Party|Republican]] (1999)
| birth_date=March 2, 1945
| birth_place=Columbia, Boone County<br>[[Missouri]], [[United States|USA]]
| alma_mater=St. Francisville High School<br>
[[Louisiana State University]]
| occupation=[[Cattle]]man
| residence=St. Francisville, West Feliciana Parish
| spouse=Antoinette Stephens "Toni" McVea
| children=
| religion=[[Presbyterianism|Presbyterian]]}}
'''Thomas Houston McVea''', known as '''Tom McVea''' (born March 2, 1945), is a [[cattle]]man from St. Francisville, [[Louisiana]], who is a [[Republican Party|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, Louisiana|Jackson]] in East Feliciana Parish.<ref name=house>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_Reps/members.asp?ID=62|title=Rep. Thomas H. McVea|publisher=house.louisiana.gov|accessdate=July 18, 2011}}</ref> 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 Party|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 [[Republican Party|GOP]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2020|publisher=Louisiana House of Representatives|accessdate=January 13, 2020}}</ref> 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).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 7, 2000.</ref>
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).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 20, 2007.</ref> 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.<ref name=mlgs>{{cite web|url=http://www.mobilelgs.com/McVeaThomasH.html|title=House member, Rep. McVea (R)|publisher=mobilelgs.com|accessdate=July 18, 2011; no longer on-line}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://theadvocate.com/home/7593402-125/couhig-leading-among-early-voters|author=Steven Ward|title=Couhig becomes first West Feliciana Parish president|date=November 18, 2013|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|accessdate=May 30, 2014}}</ref>
==Legislative matters==
House District 62 in East and West Feliciana parishes has considerable state government employment at hospitals and correctional faciities. West Feliciana is a tourist mecca with antique shops and bed and breakfast facilities. 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 quieter towns like St. Francisville and surrounding communities in West Feliciana Parish.
As a representative, McVea pushed for vocational education in high schools<ref name=mlgs/> and advocated for improved teacher salaries.<ref name=mlgs/> 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.<ref name=mlgs/> 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.<ref name=house/>
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).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 19, 2011.</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McVea, Tom}}
[[Category:Louisiana People]]
[[Category:Missouri]]
[[Category:Business People]]
[[Category:Politicians]]
[[Category:Former Democrats]]
[[Category:Republicans]]
[[Category:Presbyterians]]