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{{Infobox officeholder

{{Infobox officeholder

|name=Daniel Albert "Dan" Claitor​

|name=Daniel Albert "Dan" Claitor​

|office=[[Louisiana]] State Senator for District 16 (East Baton Rouge Parish)​

|office=[[Louisiana]] State Senator for District 16 (East Baton Rouge Parish)​

|term_start=April 2009​

|term_start=April 2009​

|term_end=​January 13, 2020

|term_end=​January 13, 2020

|preceded=[[Bill Cassidy]]​

|preceded=[[Bill Cassidy]]​

|succeeded=Pending results of November 16, 2019 runoff election​

|succeeded=[[Franklin Foil]]

|birth_date=August 3, 1961​

|birth_date=August 3, 1961​

|birth_place=[[Baton Rouge]], Louisiana, [[United States|USA]]​

|birth_place=[[Baton Rouge]], Louisiana, [[United States|USA]]​

Loyola University New Orleans School of Law​

Loyola University New Orleans School of Law​

}}

}}

 

'''Daniel Albert Claitor''', known as '''Dan Claitor'''  (born August 3, 1961),  is an [[attorney]] from his native [[Baton Rouge]], [[Louisiana]] who is a [[Republican Party|Republican]] departing state senator for District 16 in East Baton Rouge Parish.​

'''Daniel Albert Claitor''', known as '''Dan Claitor'''  (born August 3, 1961),  is an [[attorney]] in his native [[Baton Rouge]], [[Louisiana]] who is a [[Republican Party|Republican]] former state senator for District 16 in East Baton Rouge Parish.​

==Family and career==

==Family and career==

Claitor and his brothers, James Dean Claitor, Robert Claitor, Jr., and John Fleming Claitor,<ref name=mrsclaitorobit/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=james-daniel-claitor&pid=172000449&fhid=17442|title=James Daniel Claitor (uncle of Dan Claitor)|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Morning Advocate''|accessdate=October 15, 2019}}</ref> were reared within the boundaries of his Baton Rouge senatorial district. The family Claitor's Bookstore has published general works distinct to Louisiana and the memoirs of numerous Louisiana [[politician]]s, such as [[Bill Dodd|William J. "Bill" Dodd]], a former lieutenant governor and state education superintendent who twice lost gubernatorial campaigns in 1952 and 1959.

Claitor and his brothers, James Dean Claitor, Robert Claitor, Jr., and John Fleming Claitor,<ref name=mrsclaitorobit/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=james-daniel-claitor&pid=172000449&fhid=17442|title=James Daniel Claitor (uncle of Dan Claitor)|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Morning Advocate''|accessdate=October 15, 2019}}</ref> were reared within the boundaries of his Baton Rouge senatorial district. The family Claitor's Bookstore has published general works distinct to Louisiana and the memoirs of numerous Louisiana [[politician]]s, such as [[Bill Dodd|William J. "Bill" Dodd]], a former lieutenant governor and state education superintendent who twice lost gubernatorial campaigns in 1952 and 1959.

Claitor's formal schooling began at the age of three in the preschool of the Department of Home Economics at LSU. He graduated in 1979 from Robert E. Lee High School in Baton Rouge and then returned to LSU to complete in 1983 a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance. According to his website, he considers the progress of LSU crucial to the retention and recruitment of business in the Baton Rouge metropolitan area. As a youth, Claitor drove delivery trucks and worked the presses and bindery operations at Claitor's, for which he is still its legal counsel.<ref name=claitor>{{cite web|url=http://www.claitorforsenate.com/|title=Claitor for Louisiana Senate District 16|publisher=claitorforsenate.com|accessdate=April 18, 2009; no longer on-line}}</ref>​

Claitor's formal schooling began at the age of three in the preschool of the Department of Home Economics at LSU. He graduated in 1979 from Robert E. Lee High School in Baton Rouge and then returned to LSU to complete in 1983 a Bachelor of Science degree in finance. According to his website, he considers the progress of LSU crucial to the retention and recruitment of business in the Baton Rouge metropolitan area. As a youth, Claitor drove delivery trucks and worked the presses and bindery operations at Claitor's, for which he is still its legal counsel.<ref name=claitor>{{cite web|url=http://www.claitorforsenate.com/|title=Claitor for Louisiana Senate District 16|publisher=claitorforsenate.com|accessdate=April 18, 2009; no longer on-line}}</ref>​

Claitor obtained his law degree from Loyola University New Orleans School of Law. In 1987, Claitor was named an assistant district attorney at the annual salary of $18,951 for the Orleans Parish District Attorney's office. Claitor claimed that he developed a good record in fighting crime. In 2008, in his first political race, Claitor lost badly in a bid for District Attorney of the 19th Judicial District.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/27981774.html|author=Joe Gyan, Jr.|title=DA foes experienced in law: Republican Dan Claitor, Democrat Hillar Moore vying for post|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|accessdate=April 18, 2009}}</ref> Claitor polled 26,880 votes (26 percent) in the district attorney's race to 76,890 ballots (74 percent) for the Democrat Hillar Moore, who carried the backing of two former Republican district attorneys, [[Bryan Bush]], and Douglas Moreau, the outgoing DA who had served since 1991.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 4, 2008.</ref>

Claitor obtained his law degree from Loyola University New Orleans School of Law. In 1987, Claitor was named an assistant district attorney at the annual salary of $18,951 for the Orleans Parish District Attorney's office. Claitor claimed that he developed a good record in fighting crime. In 2008, in his first political race, Claitor lost badly in a bid for District Attorney of the 19th Judicial District.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/27981774.html|author=Joe Gyan, Jr.|title=DA foes experienced in law: Republican Dan Claitor, Democrat Hillar Moore vying for post|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|accessdate=April 18, 2009; no longer on-line}}</ref> Claitor polled 26,880 votes (26 percent) in the district attorney's race to 76,890 ballots (74 percent) for the Democrat Hillar Moore, who carried the backing of two former Republican district attorneys, [[Bryan Bush]], and Douglas Moreau, the outgoing DA who had served since 1991.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 4, 2008.</ref>

Claitor entered private practice in Baton Rouge in 1990. He and his wife, the former Sharmaine Leblanc (also born 1961), have two sons, Sam and James Claitor. They are [[Roman Catholic]]s.<ref name=claitor/>​

Claitor entered private practice in Baton Rouge in 1990. He and his wife, the former Sharmaine Leblanc (also born 1961), have two sons, Sam and James Claitor. They are [[Roman Catholic]]s.<ref name=claitor/>​

===2009 special election===

===2009 special election===

​On April 4, 2009, Claitor defeated fellow Republican Lee Domingue, a Baton Rouge businessman backed by then [[Governor]] [[Bobby Jindal]], in a [[special election]] for the District 16  seat vacated by Republican [[U.S. Representative]] [[Bill Cassidy]]. Claitor received 11,713 votes (66 percent) to Domingue's 6,114 (34 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, April 4, 2009.</ref> Prior to Cassidy's short tenure, the Senate seat was held by former Louisiana Secretary of State and lieutenant governor, John Leigh "Jay" Dardenne, Jr., a [[Moderate Republican]] and commissioner of administration under Democratic Governor [[John Bel Edwards]].

On April 4, 2009, Claitor defeated fellow Republican Lee Domingue, a Baton Rouge businessman backed by then [[Governor]] [[Bobby Jindal]], in a [[special election]] for the District 16  seat vacated by Republican [[U.S. Representative]] [[Bill Cassidy]]. Claitor received 11,713 votes (66 percent) to Domingue's 6,114 (34 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, April 4, 2009.</ref> Prior to Cassidy's short tenure, the Senate seat was held by former Louisiana Secretary of State and lieutenant governor, John Leigh "Jay" Dardenne, Jr., a [[Moderate Republican]] and commissioner of administration under Democratic Governor [[John Bel Edwards]].

In the first round of special election balloting (not an actual primary but sometimes referred to as such by the media) held on March 7, 2009, a third candidate, Republican health-care consultant Laurinda Lege Calongne (born ca. 1964), polled 4,511 votes (27 percent) to Claitor's 6,509 votes (39 percent) and Domingue's 5,760 votes (34 percent), according to official returns from all 103 precincts.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, March 7, 2009.</ref> Colongne then threw her backing to Claitor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.politicker.com/louisiana/tags/dan-claitor|author=Marsha Shuler|title=Calongne endorses Claitor in runoffpublisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|accessdate=April 18, 2009}}</ref> Despite heavy spending, much of it from his own sources, Domingue scored no inroads in the second race. His campaign had spent $429,709, or nearly three-fourths of its funds, as of March 15, the last day that spending had to be reported to the office of the Louisiana secretary of state. Claitor spent $154,825.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/42484362.html?index=1&c=y|author=Marsha Shuler|title=It's Claitor!: Dominigue gains only 34 percent of the votepublisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|accessdate=April 18, 2009}}</ref>​

In the first round of special election balloting (not an actual primary but sometimes referred to as such by the media) held on March 7, 2009, a third candidate, Republican health-care consultant Laurinda Lege Calongne (born ca. 1964), polled 4,511 votes (27 percent) to Claitor's 6,509 votes (39 percent) and Domingue's 5,760 votes (34 percent), according to official returns from all 103 precincts.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, March 7, 2009.</ref> Colongne then threw her backing to Claitor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.politicker.com/louisiana/tags/dan-claitor|author=Marsha Shuler|title=Calongne endorses Claitor in runoff|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|accessdate=April 18, 2009; no longer on-line}}</ref> Despite heavy spending, much of it from his own sources, Domingue scored no inroads in the second race. His campaign had spent $429,709, or nearly three-fourths of its funds, as of March 15, the last day that spending had to be reported to the office of the Louisiana secretary of state. Claitor spent $154,825.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/42484362.html?index=1&c=y|author=Marsha Shuler|title=It's Claitor!: Dominigue gains only 34 percent of the vote|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|accessdate=April 18, 2009; no longer on-line}}</ref>​

One of the issues in the campaign centered on Dominigue's having missed casting his ballot in nine of the last twenty elections in East Baton Rouge Parish, whereas Claitor had voted in all of the past thirty such contests.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/40602957.html|title=A Look at the Candidates' Voting Record|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Morning Advocate''|accessdate=April 18, 2009}}</ref>

One of the issues in the campaign centered on Dominigue's having missed casting his ballot in nine of the last twenty elections in East Baton Rouge Parish, whereas Claitor had voted in all of the past thirty such contests.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/40602957.html|title=A Look at the Candidates' Voting Record|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Morning Advocate''|accessdate=April 18, 2009; no longer on-line}}</ref>

===Jindal's role===

===Jindal's role===

Jindal also did not openly support Republican former U.S. Representative Clyde Cecil Holloway (1943-2016), who emerged as the frontrunner and winner following the withdrawal of the opposing candidate in the special election held on April 4, 2009, for the District 4 seat on the regulatory Louisiana Public Service Commission.<ref>''[[Moon Griffon|The Moon Griffon Show]],'' April 1, 2009.</ref> Nor would Jindal endorse the 2010 reelection of U.S. Senator David Vitter, who previously held the House seat that Jindal himself occupied from 2005 to 2008.​

 

Jindal also did not openly support Republican former U.S. Representative [[Clyde Holloway]], who emerged as the frontrunner and winner following the withdrawal of the opposing candidate in the special election held on April 4, 2009, for the District 4 seat on the regulatory Louisiana Public Service Commission.<ref>''[[Moon Griffon|The Moon Griffon Show]],'' April 1, 2009.</ref> Nor would Jindal endorse the 2010 reelection of U.S. Senator David Vitter, who previously held the House seat that Jindal himself occupied from 2005 to 2008.​

Kirby Goidel, an LSU political analyst, interpreted the senatorial results as "baffling" and a “loss” for Jindal. "He’s irritated some people in the community, and legislators are thinking he [Jindal] could not win in a Republican race. You had a Republican-leaning district, a Republican race and not carrying that after you endorse. I don’t think there’s much ambiguity."<ref name=advo/>​

Kirby Goidel, an LSU political analyst, interpreted the senatorial results as "baffling" and a “loss” for Jindal. "He’s irritated some people in the community, and legislators are thinking he [Jindal] could not win in a Republican race. You had a Republican-leaning district, a Republican race and not carrying that after you endorse. I don’t think there’s much ambiguity."<ref name=advo/>​

==Claitor as state senator==

==Claitor as state senator==

Claitor took time from his congressional race to file suit to overturn the $55,000 annual increase in retirement benefits approved by the legislature on behalf of Mike Edmonson, then the superintendent of  the Louisiana State Police and a Jindal appointee. On September 16, 2014, Judge Janice Clark of the 19th Judicial District in Baton Rouge, declared the "Edmonson Act," as it became known in the media after its passage in July 2014, unconstitutional because it impacted only two persons. The Louisiana State Police Retirement System Board offered no rebuttal to the suit Claitor filed, and the provision of the law impacting Edmonson and a second state police employee was quickly struck down by the judge. Jindal himself said he did not know that the amendment he signed was written to impact only two persons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/09/edmonson_act_declared_unconsti.html|title='Edmonson Act' declared unconstitutional in state court|author=Cole Avery|publisher=''The New Orleans Times-Picayune''|date=September 16, 2014|accessdate=September 17, 2014}}</ref>​

 

 

Claitor took time from his congressional race to file suit to overturn the $55,000 annual increase in retirement benefits approved by the legislature on behalf of Mike Edmonson, then the superintendent of  the Louisiana State Police and a Jindal appointee. On September 16, 2014, Judge Janice Clark of the 19th Judicial District in Baton Rouge, declared the "Edmonson Act," as it became known in the media after its passage in July 2014, unconstitutional because it impacted only two persons. The Louisiana State Police Retirement System Board offered no rebuttal to the suit Claitor filed, and the provision of the law impacting Edmonson and a second state police employee was quickly struck down by the judge. Jindal himself said he did not know that the amendment he signed was written to impact only two persons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/09/edmonson_act_declared_unconsti.html|title='Edmonson Act' declared unconstitutional in state court|author=Cole Avery|publisher=''The New Orleans Times-Picayune''|date=September 16, 2014|accessdate=October 15, 2019}}</ref>​

On September 19, 2014, Claitor, Lenar Whitney, Paul Dietzel, and two other Republican congressional candidates, Garret Graves and Trey Thomas, all received the "Outstanding Family Advocate Award" from the Louisiana Family Forum.<ref>"End of Week: Victory achieves lifetime award!", Louisiana Family Forum, September 19, 2004.</ref>

On September 19, 2014, Claitor, Lenar Whitney, Paul Dietzel, and two other Republican congressional candidates, Garret Graves and Trey Thomas, all received the "Outstanding Family Advocate Award" from the Louisiana Family Forum.<ref>"End of Week: Victory achieves lifetime award!", Louisiana Family Forum, September 19, 2004.</ref>

Claitor was term-limited in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 12, 2019. Two Republicans, state Representatives [[Steve Carter (Louisiana politician)|Steve Carter]] and Franklin Foil (tied vote), and a Democrat remain in the running as well.

Claitor was term-limited in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 12, 2019. He will be succeeded on January 13, 2020, by another Republican, [[Franklin Foil]], who won a runoff against the Democrat Beverly Brooks Thompson. Outgoing Republican state Representatives [[Steve Carter (Louisiana politician)|Steve Carter]] finished third in the primary, only four votes beind Foil and hence failed to gain a runoff berth.

==References==

==References==

{{reflist}}​

{{reflist}}​

==External link==

==External links==

​*{{cite web|url=http://senate.legis.state.la.us/Claitor/|title=Senator Dan Claitor|publisher=Louisiana State Senate}}​

*{{cite web|url=http://senate.legis.state.la.us/Claitor/|title=Senator Dan Claitor|publisher=Louisiana State Senate}}​

​{{DEFAULTSORT:Claitor, Dan}}​

{{DEFAULTSORT:Claitor, Dan}}​

[[Category:Louisiana People]]

[[Category:Louisiana People]]

[[Category:Attorneys]]

[[Category:Attorneys]]