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==Biography==

==Biography==

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Thompson was reared on a farm near [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]] in Ouachita Parish in northeast Louisiana. She graduated in 1964 from Neville High School in Monroe and received her [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree in [[government]] from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond. She procured a [[Master of Business Administration]] degree from [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111144243/http://www.parlouisiana.org/s3web/1002087/docs/Constitutional%20Amendment%20Archive/CA1979_Sept.pdf|title=Sandra S. Thompson|page=14|publisher=Parlouisiana.org|accessdate=April 20, 2019}}</ref>​

Thompson was reared on a farm near [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]] in Ouachita Parish in northeast Louisiana. She graduated in 1964 from Neville High School in Monroe and received her [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree in [[government]] from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond. She procured a [[Master of Business Administration]] degree from [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111144243/http://www.parlouisiana.org/s3web/1002087/docs/Constitutional%20Amendment%20Archive/CA1979_Sept.pdf|title=Sandra S. Thompson|page=14|publisher=Parlouisiana.org|accessdate=April 20, 2019}}</ref>

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Her career in state government began in the 1970s when she worked in the office of then Secretary of State Wade Ober  Martin, Jr.  She was named director of the Atchafalaya Basin Division of the Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism. The lieutenant governor now heads the Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism.​

Her career in state government began in the 1970s when she worked in the office of then Secretary of State Wade Ober  Martin, Jr.  She was named director of the Atchafalaya Basin Division of the Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism. in 1978, Thompson was dismissed from the Department Culture, Recreation and Tourism in 1978 because of disputes with her undersecretaries.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ladigitalmedia.org/video_v2/asset-detail/LSWI-0231-02_InDepth|title=Dismissal of Sandra Thompson (1978)|publisher=Ladigitalmedia.org|accessdate=April 20, 2019}}</ref> The lieutenant governor now heads the Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism. The Atchafalaya project, which encompassing a million acres, is the largest bottomland swamp in [[North America]].  

 

The Atchafalaya project, which encompassing a million acres, is the largest bottomland swamp in [[North America]]. She left the project in 1979 to run unsuccessfully as a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] for secretary of state. The position became open when incumbent Paul Jude Hardy, then of St. Martinville, who had succeeded Martin in 1976, ran unsuccessfully for [[governor]]. Hardy was elected lieutenant governor in 1988. Thompson went into a [[general election]] with fellow Democrat, then state Senator James Harvey "Jim" Brown, then of Ferriday in Concordia Parish. She had a considerable lead in the nonpartisan blanket primary but fell unexpectedly short in the second round of balloting.​

After Thompson left the Atchafalaya program, she ran unsuccessfully as a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] for secretary of state. The position became open when Wade Martin's successor, Paul Jude Hardy, then of St. Martinville, ran unsuccessfully for [[governor]]. Nine years later, Hardy was elected lieutenant governor in 1988. Thompson went into a [[general election]] with fellow Democrat, then state Senator James Harvey "Jim" Brown, then of Ferriday in Concordia Parish. She had a considerable lead in the nonpartisan blanket primary but fell unexpectedly short in the second round of balloting.​ In the primary, Thompson polled 504,808 votes (40.8 percent) to Brown's 391,849 ballots (31.7 percent). An [[African American|African-American]] candidate, Ben Jeffers, received 253,764 votes (20.5 percent). [[Republican Party|Republican]] candidate Dick Bruce, a [[New Orleans]] advertising executive who stressed tourism and international trade, polled 85,870 votes (6.9 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 6, 1979.</ref>  In 1971, Bruce had run unsuccessfully in the race to succeed Lieutenant Governor Clarence C. "Taddy" Aycock.<ref>''Minden Press-Herald'', November 6, 1971.</ref>​

In the primary, Thompson polled 504,808 votes (40.8 percent) to Brown's 391,849 ballots (31.7 percent). An [[African American|African-American]] candidate, Ben Jeffers, received 253,764 votes (20.5 percent). [[Republican Party|Republican]] candidate Dick Bruce, a [[New Orleans]] advertising executive who stressed tourism and international trade, polled 85,870 votes (6.9 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 6, 1979.</ref>  In 1971, Bruce had run unsuccessfully in the race to succeed Lieutenant Governor Clarence C. "Taddy" Aycock.<ref>''Minden Press-Herald'', November 6, 1971.</ref>​

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Therefore, Jim Brown secured nearly all of the votes obtained by Jeffers, and most of Bruce's supporters presumably switched to Thompson. Brown won the [[general election]] with 665,608 votes (51.1 percent) to Thompson's 617,907 (48.9 percent). The percent for Brown and Jeffers from the primary was a combined 52.2 percent, or 1.1 percentage points more than what Brown finally received in the final phase of the race. Thompson and Bruce in the first round of balloting had a combined 47.7 percent, or 1.2 percentage points below what Thompson finally received.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, December 16, 1971.</ref> For years, Thompson said that she never expected to lose the race. In 1983, she attempted to unseat East Baton Rouge Parish Clerk of Court Mike Cannon. Though she ran well enough to make the general election, she again was defeated.​<ref>Louisianan Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 22, 1983.</ref>

Therefore, Jim Brown secured nearly all of the votes obtained by Jeffers, and most of Bruce's supporters presumably switched to Thompson. Brown won the [[general election]] with 665,608 votes (51.1 percent) to Thompson's 617,907 (48.9 percent). The percent for Brown and Jeffers from the primary was a combined 52.2 percent, or 1.1 percentage points more than what Brown finally received in the final phase of the race. Thompson and Bruce in the first round of balloting had a combined 47.7 percent, or 1.2 percentage points below what Thompson finally received.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, December 16, 1971.</ref> For years, Thompson said that she never expected to lose the race. In 1983, she attempted to unseat East Baton Rouge Parish Clerk of Court Mike Cannon. Though she ran well enough to make the general election, she again was defeated.​<ref>Louisianan Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 22, 1983.</ref>

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Thompson has been active in many conservation endeavors. She is an officer of the Louisiana [[Sierra Club]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://louisiana.sierraclub.org/contact.asp|title=Sierra Club Delta Chapter|publisher=Louisiana.sierraclub.org|accessdate=April 20, 2019}}</ref> She has twice secured the "Professional Conservationist of the Year" award from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, most recently in 1999. She also won the [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] National Award for excellence in the field of the environment.​

Thompson has been active in many conservation endeavors. She is an officer of the Louisiana [[Sierra Club]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://louisiana.sierraclub.org/contact.asp|title=Sierra Club Delta Chapter|publisher=Louisiana.sierraclub.org|accessdate=April 20, 2019}}</ref> She has twice secured the "Professional Conservationist of the Year" award from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, most recently in 1999. She also won the [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] National Award for excellence in the field of the environment.​

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In the Atchafalaya project, Thompson worked under Natural Resources Secretary Scott Angelle of Breaux Bridge. The media reported strains in their professional relationship, and it was suggested that Thompson wanted to succeed Angelle, then a Democrat and later a Republican, in the [[Bobby Jindal]] administration.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/9555402.html?index=1&c=y|author=Steven K. Landry|title=Ex-Atchafalaya Basin official looks ahead: Sandra Thompson helps Jindal campaign|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate'' (Acadiana Edition)|date=September 4, 2007; no longer on-line.}}</ref> In May 2010, Jindal announced the appointment of Angelle to serve on an interim basis as lieutenant governor until a [[special election]] was held in October 2010 to fill the remaining months of the term of [[Mitch Landrieu]], who left upon his election as the [[mayor]] of New Orleans, a post he vacated in 2019. Victory went to then Secretary of State Jay Dardenne of Baton Rouge, who in 2016 became the state commissioner of administration  under Democratic Governor [[John Bel Edwards]].​

In the Atchafalaya project during the Foster administration, Thompson worked under Natural Resources Secretary Scott Angelle of Breaux Bridge. The media reported strains in their professional relationship, and it was suggested that Thompson wanted to succeed Angelle, then a Democrat and later a Republican, in the [[Bobby Jindal]] administration.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/9555402.html?index=1&c=y|author=Steven K. Landry|title=Ex-Atchafalaya Basin official looks ahead: Sandra Thompson helps Jindal campaign|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate'' (Acadiana Edition)|date=September 4, 2007; no longer on-line.}}</ref> In May 2010, Jindal announced the appointment of Angelle to serve on an interim basis as lieutenant governor until a [[special election]] was held in October 2010 to fill the remaining months of the term of [[Mitch Landrieu]], who left upon his election as the [[mayor]] of New Orleans, a post he vacated in 2019. Victory went to then Secretary of State Jay Dardenne of Baton Rouge, who in 2016 became the state commissioner of administration  under Democratic Governor [[John Bel Edwards]].​

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Thompson describes her management style as one of macromanagement: "Most successful leaders don't micromanage. What we tried to do with the Atchafalaya Program is hire the very best [[architect]]s, [[engineer]]s, and designers and tell them, 'Give me your best. I’m not going to micromanage you.'"​

Thompson describes her management style as one of macromanagement: "Most successful leaders don't micromanage. What we tried to do with the Atchafalaya Program is hire the very best [[architect]]s, [[engineer]]s, and designers and tell them, 'Give me your best. I’m not going to micromanage you.'"​