| | Lastrapes was not, however, the first Republican mayor in Louisiana. Smaller towns like Zachary in East Baton Rouge Parish ([[Jack Breaux]]), [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]] in Webster Parish Arthur Thomas "Tom" Colten 1922-2004),<ref>''Minden Press-Herald,'' November 9, 1966.</ref> and Haughton in Bossier Parish (Elizabeth O. Sherwin) elected Republican mayors earlier. Alexandria had a Republican mayor by defection from 1972–1973, when [[Ed Karst]] switched parties in the last years of his single term.<ref>''The Alexandria Town Talk,'' May 5, 1973.</ref>Karst did not remain Republican, however, as he later returned to the Democrats to seek a judicial position in Rapides Parish in 1978.<ref>''The Alexandria Daily Town Talk,'' September 17, 1978.</ref> | | Lastrapes was not, however, the first Republican mayor in Louisiana. Smaller towns like Zachary in East Baton Rouge Parish ([[Jack Breaux]]), [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]] in Webster Parish Arthur Thomas "Tom" Colten 1922-2004),<ref>''Minden Press-Herald,'' November 9, 1966.</ref> and Haughton in Bossier Parish (Elizabeth O. Sherwin) elected Republican mayors earlier. Alexandria had a Republican mayor by defection from 1972–1973, when [[Ed Karst]] switched parties in the last years of his single term.<ref>''The Alexandria Town Talk,'' May 5, 1973.</ref>Karst did not remain Republican, however, as he later returned to the Democrats to seek a judicial position in Rapides Parish in 1978.<ref>''The Alexandria Daily Town Talk,'' September 17, 1978.</ref> |
| − | Republicans have since served as mayor of [[Shreveport]] (Hazel Beard and Robert "Bo" Williams) and [[Baton Rouge]] ([[Tom Ed McHugh]] and Bobby R. Simpson), but no Republican has won in [[New Orleans]], [[Lake Charles]], or has been directly elected in Alexandria. Thee were also short-term Republican mayors in [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]] (Melvin Rambin) and [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]] ([[Leo Deslatte]]). | + | Republicans have since served as mayor of [[Shreveport]] (Hazel Beard and Robert Warren "Bo" Williams) and [[Baton Rouge]] ([[Tom Ed McHugh]] and Bobby R. Simpson), but no Republican has won in [[New Orleans]], [[Lake Charles]], or has been directly elected in Alexandria. Thee were also short-term Republican mayors in [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]] (Melvin Rambin) and [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]] ([[Leo Deslatte]]). |
| | A Republican, Lester Joseph "Joey" Durel, Jr., reclaimed for his party the combined mayor/presidency of the City of Lafayette and Lafayette Parish in the 2003 primary election. | | A Republican, Lester Joseph "Joey" Durel, Jr., reclaimed for his party the combined mayor/presidency of the City of Lafayette and Lafayette Parish in the 2003 primary election. |