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'''Hartwell Neil Riser Jr.''', known as '''Neil Riser''' (born April 25, 1962) is a [[business]]man in his native Columbia in Caldwell Parish, who is a [[Republican Party|Republican]] incoming state representative for District 20, which encompasses the north [[Louisiana]] parishes of Caldwell, Catahoula, Franklin, LaSalle, and Tensas.

'''Hartwell Neil Riser Jr.''', known as '''Neil Riser''' (born April 25, 1962) is a [[business]]man in his native Columbia in Caldwell Parish, who is a [[Republican Party|Republican]] incoming state representative for District 20, which encompasses the north [[Louisiana]] parishes of Caldwell, Catahoula, Franklin, LaSalle, and Tensas.

On November 16, 2019, Riser won a runoff contest against fellow Republican Kevin Bates. With the greater name identification, Riser narrowly led with 8,368 votes (51 percent) to 8,099 (49 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Results, November 20, 2019.</ref>

On November 16, 2019, Riser won a runoff contest against fellow Republican Kevin Bates. With the greater name identification, Riser narrowly led with 8,368 votes (51 percent) to 8,099 (49 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Results, November 16, 2019.</ref>

Since 2008 to 2020, Riser has been one of thirty-nine members of the state Senate.

Since 2008 to 2020, Riser has been one of thirty-nine members of the state Senate.

Riser was an unsuccessful candidate for Louisiana's 5th congressional district in a 2013 special election seat to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Republican [[Rodney Alexander]]. Riser lost that race to fellow Republican Vance McAllister, a political newcomer from Swartz, who held the seat for only thirteen months, having resigned for inappropriate behavior.​

Riser was an unsuccessful candidate for Louisiana's 5th congressional district in a 2013 special election seat to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Republican [[Rodney Alexander]]. Riser lost that race to fellow Republican Vance McAllister, a political newcomer from Swartz, who held the seat for only thirteen months, having resigned for inappropriate behavior.​

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Riser was also an unsuccessful candidate for state treasurer in 2017 in a bid to succeed [[John Neely Kennedy]], who was elected in 2016 to the [[United States Senate. In the special election, Riser finished in fourth place among six candidates and hence failed to make the second round of balloting. The eventual winner of that race was another Republican, former State Representative [[John Schroder]] of St. Tammany Parish in [[suburb]]an [[New Orleans]], who was thereafter reelected to a full  term as treasurer in 2019.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 14 and November 18, 2017, and October 12, 2019.</ref>

Riser was also an unsuccessful candidate for state treasurer in 2017 in a bid to succeed [[John Neely Kennedy]], who was elected in 2016 to the [[United States Senate]]. In the special election, Riser finished in fourth place among six candidates and hence failed to make the second round of balloting. The eventual winner of that race was another Republican, former State Representative [[John Schroder]] of St. Tammany Parish in [[suburb]]an [[New Orleans]], who was thereafter reelected to a full  term as treasurer in 2019.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 14 and November 18, 2017, and October 12, 2019.</ref>

Riser's grandfather was a local official from 1942 to 1950 in [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]]. Since 1934, the family has operated a funeral home in Columbia, where Riser was born to Hartwell Neil Riser, Sr. (1934–1985), and the former Lillian Marie Gore (born 1937), who married in Caldwell Parish in 1956. After the senior Riser's death, Lillian Riser wed Herschel Gentry, Jr., of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]]. Neil Riser graduated in 1980 from Caldwell Parish School Board and in 1984 obtained his Bachelor of Business Administrationfrom the nearby [[University of Louisiana at Monroe]].<ref name=senriser/>​

Riser's grandfather was a local official from 1942 to 1950 in [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]]. Since 1934, the family has operated a funeral home in Columbia, where Riser was born to Hartwell Neil Riser, Sr. (1934–1985), and the former Lillian Marie Gore (born 1937), who married in Caldwell Parish in 1956. After the senior Riser's death, Lillian Riser wed Herschel Gentry, Jr., of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]]. Neil Riser graduated in 1980 from Caldwell Parish School Board and in 1984 obtained his Bachelor of Business Administrationfrom the nearby [[University of Louisiana at Monroe]].<ref name=senriser/>​