Difference between revisions of "Richard S. Thompson"
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Thompson was the first person to hold the District 22 seat, which was created following redistricting based on the 1970 census. The previous configuration had included Grant Parish in a multi-member district with four representatives. Thompson served during the first two administrations of [[Governor]] [[Edwin Edwards]] and Edwards's first successor, [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[David C. Treen]].<ref name=legis/> Along with his service in the Legislature, Thompson was a delegate in 1973 to the Louisiana Constitutional Convention held in the capitol in [[Baton Rouge]]. | Thompson was the first person to hold the District 22 seat, which was created following redistricting based on the 1970 census. The previous configuration had included Grant Parish in a multi-member district with four representatives. Thompson served during the first two administrations of [[Governor]] [[Edwin Edwards]] and Edwards's first successor, [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[David C. Treen]].<ref name=legis/> Along with his service in the Legislature, Thompson was a delegate in 1973 to the Louisiana Constitutional Convention held in the capitol in [[Baton Rouge]]. | ||
| − | In the nonpartisan blanket [[primary]] on November 1, 1975, the first held in Louisiana history with the abolition of the closed primary system, Thompson defeated a challenge from former state Senator] [[W. L. Rambo]], a member by marriage of the [[Earl Long|Long]] family from Georgetown in Grant Parish.<ref>''The Alexandria Town Talk'' | + | In the nonpartisan blanket [[primary]] on November 1, 1975, the first held in Louisiana history with the abolition of the closed primary system, Thompson defeated a challenge from former state Senator] [[W. L. Rambo]], a member by marriage of the [[Earl Long|Long]] family from Georgetown in Grant Parish.<ref>''The Alexandria Town Talk,'' November 2, 1975.</ref> Before he was a state senator, Rambo had held the Grant Parish House seat from 1952 to 1960.<ref name=legis/> |
| − | Thompson was unseated in the 1983 primary by Thomas Floyd "Bud" Brady (1938-2011) of La Salle Parish. Also in the primary race was former state representative and state senator W. L. Rambo. | + | Thompson was unseated in the 1983 primary by Thomas Floyd "Bud" Brady (1938-2011) of La Salle Parish. Also in the primary race was former state representative and state senator W. L. Rambo. Brady led the primary field with 6,424 votes (36 percent); Rambo followed with 5,185 ballots (29.1 percent). Thompson garnered 4,960 votes (27.8 percent). The remaining 1,276 votes went to Darrel Thaxton, another Democrat.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 22, 1983.</ref> Brady then prevailed by 207 votes in the runoff election against Rambo, 7,301 (50.7 percent) to 7,094 (49.3 percent). Without his strong showing in his own LaSalle Parish, Brady would have been defeated.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 19, 1983.</ref> |
A farmer of [[cotton]], [[soybeans]], cattle, hay, and pecan trees,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.powerprofiles.com/profile/00005145638396/RICHARD+THOMPSON+FARMS+INC-COLFAX-LA#|title=Richard Thompson Farms|publisher=powerprofiles.com|accessdate=July 15, 2011}}</ref> Thompson resided in the parish seat of Colfax. He died two days before his 81st birthday. | A farmer of [[cotton]], [[soybeans]], cattle, hay, and pecan trees,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.powerprofiles.com/profile/00005145638396/RICHARD+THOMPSON+FARMS+INC-COLFAX-LA#|title=Richard Thompson Farms|publisher=powerprofiles.com|accessdate=July 15, 2011}}</ref> Thompson resided in the parish seat of Colfax. He died two days before his 81st birthday. | ||
Revision as of 23:17, August 20, 2020
| Richard S. Thompson | |
Louisiana State Representative
for District 22 (Grant, La Salle, Winn, and Rapides parishes) | |
| In office 1972–1984 | |
| Preceded by | At-large membership: T. C. Brister |
|---|---|
| Succeeded by | Thomas "Bud" Brady |
| Born | December 30, 1916 |
| Died | December 28, 1997 (aged 80) |
| Political party | Democrat |
| Spouse(s) | Ellen Lucille Anderson Thompson |
| Children | Barbara T. Brown Ellen Gayle Anderson |
| Occupation | Farmer |
Richard S. Thompson (December 30, 1916 – December 28, 1997) was from 1972 to 1984 a Democratic state representative for District 22, which now includes Grant, LaSalle, Winn, and Rapides parishes in north Louisiana.[1]
Thompson was the first person to hold the District 22 seat, which was created following redistricting based on the 1970 census. The previous configuration had included Grant Parish in a multi-member district with four representatives. Thompson served during the first two administrations of Governor Edwin Edwards and Edwards's first successor, Republican David C. Treen.[1] Along with his service in the Legislature, Thompson was a delegate in 1973 to the Louisiana Constitutional Convention held in the capitol in Baton Rouge.
In the nonpartisan blanket primary on November 1, 1975, the first held in Louisiana history with the abolition of the closed primary system, Thompson defeated a challenge from former state Senator] W. L. Rambo, a member by marriage of the Long family from Georgetown in Grant Parish.[2] Before he was a state senator, Rambo had held the Grant Parish House seat from 1952 to 1960.[1]
Thompson was unseated in the 1983 primary by Thomas Floyd "Bud" Brady (1938-2011) of La Salle Parish. Also in the primary race was former state representative and state senator W. L. Rambo. Brady led the primary field with 6,424 votes (36 percent); Rambo followed with 5,185 ballots (29.1 percent). Thompson garnered 4,960 votes (27.8 percent). The remaining 1,276 votes went to Darrel Thaxton, another Democrat.[3] Brady then prevailed by 207 votes in the runoff election against Rambo, 7,301 (50.7 percent) to 7,094 (49.3 percent). Without his strong showing in his own LaSalle Parish, Brady would have been defeated.[4]
A farmer of cotton, soybeans, cattle, hay, and pecan trees,[5] Thompson resided in the parish seat of Colfax. He died two days before his 81st birthday.
Thompson and his surviving wife, the former Ellen Lucille Anderson (1918-2018), had two daughters, Barbara T. Brown and her husband Daniel Wallace "Dan" Brown (born 1941) of Colfax, and Ellen Gayle Anderson and her husband, Paul J. Anderson, Sr., of Baton Rouge. The Thompsons had nine grandchildren.[6]
He is remembered through the Richard S. Thompson Memorial Scholarship given to a Christian student from Grant Parish studying at the Louisiana State University campus in Alexandria.[7] Thompson was also memorialized in death by the naming of the Richard S. Thompson bridge that connects Rapides Parish and Grant Parish. The bridge was approved during Thompson's tenure in the legislature.
The District 22 seat has been held since January 13, 2020, by the Republican Gabe Firment.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2024. Louisiana House of Representatives. Retrieved on August 20, 2020.
- ↑ The Alexandria Town Talk, November 2, 1975.
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 22, 1983.
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 19, 1983.
- ↑ Richard Thompson Farms. powerprofiles.com. Retrieved on July 15, 2011.
- ↑ Ellen Lucille Anderson Thompson. Findagrave.com. Retrieved on August 20, 2020.
- ↑ Endowed Scholarships. lsua.edu. Retrieved on July 15, 2011.