Changes

==Political career==

==Political career==

Peacock assumed his State Senate seat on January 9, 2012, as the successor to the retiring Republican Senator [[B. L. "Buddy" Shaw]] of Shreveport. He won the position in the [[general election]] held on November 19, 2011, when he defeated the term-limited Republican State Representative Jane H. Smith, a former school superintendent from [[Bossier City]]. Peacock polled 10,331 votes (55.5 percent) to Smith's 8,295 votes (44.5 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/10222011/10222011_Legislative.html|title=Louisiana primary election returns, October 22, 2011|publisher=staticresults.sos.la.gov|accessdate=October 22, 2011}}</ref>

Peacock assumed his State Senate seat on January 9, 2012, as the successor to the retiring Republican Senator [[B. L. "Buddy" Shaw]] of Shreveport. He won the position in the [[general election]] held on November 19, 2011, when he defeated the term-limited Republican state Representative [[Jane H. Smith]], a former school superintendent from [[Bossier City]]. Peacock polled 10,331 votes (55.5 percent) to Smith's 8,295 votes (44.5 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/10222011/10222011_Legislative.html|title=Louisiana primary election returns, October 22, 2011|publisher=staticresults.sos.la.gov|accessdate=October 22, 2011}}</ref>

   

   

In the 2011 campaign, Jane Smith alleged that Peacock is "open-minded" regarding [[abortion]] and same-sex marriage. Peacock replied to the allegation by stressing his [[pro-life]] stance and his opposition to marriage by individuals of the same sex. Peacock charged that Smith had voted thirty times for tax increases, some of which were concealed by the state and compelled private companies, such as rental car agencies and utility firms, to collect taxes disguised as "fees." Peacock also said that Smith had voted to require insurance companies to cover [[contraception]] and medications to induce abortions. Smith also voted against allowing homeschoolers to participate in public school athletic programs. Peacock noted that Smith had a 38 percent rating from the [[conservative]] Louisiana Family Forum in 2004 but had improved her ratings in most subsequent years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nwlatpa.com/page/barrow-peacock-defends-his-pro-life-record|title=Barrow Peacock defends his pro-life record|publisher=nwlatpa.com|accessdate=February 8, 2012}}</ref>

In the 2011 campaign, Jane Smith alleged that Peacock is "open-minded" regarding [[abortion]] and same-sex marriage. Peacock replied to the allegation by stressing his [[pro-life]] stance and his opposition to marriage by individuals of the same sex. Peacock charged that Smith had voted thirty times for tax increases, some of which were concealed by the state and compelled private companies, such as rental car agencies and utility firms, to collect taxes disguised as "fees." Peacock also said that Smith had voted to require insurance companies to cover [[contraception]] and medications to induce abortions. Smith also voted against allowing homeschoolers to participate in public school athletic programs. Peacock noted that Smith had a 38 percent rating from the [[conservative]] Louisiana Family Forum in 2004 but had improved her ratings in most subsequent years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nwlatpa.com/page/barrow-peacock-defends-his-pro-life-record|title=Barrow Peacock defends his pro-life record|publisher=nwlatpa.com|accessdate=February 8, 2012}}</ref>

Upon taking office as senator, Peacock cast the only vote against Republican Governor Jindal's choice of [[John Alario]], a [[Democrat]]-turned-[[Moderate Republican]] from Westwego in Jefferson Parish, to become the new president of the state Senate, succeeding the term-limited former Senator Joel Chaisson of Destrehan. In the campaign against Jane Smith, Peacock had voiced his opposition to Alario because the veteran lawmaker had been a key legislative ally in the state House during the four administrations of Democratic former Governor [[Edwin Edwards]] and had seemed unenthusiastic when he switched parties after so many years as a Democrat. Alario in turn gave Peacock the least-desired assignments in the chamber &mdash; on the Retirement and Labor committees. "We'll have our differences, but we can still be colleagues and be sociable," said Peacock, who then hitched a ride with Alario's son  from Baton Rouge to [[New Orleans]] for the LSU Tigers football game against the [[University of Alabama]] Crimson Tide.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessreport.com/article/20120123/BUSINESSREPORT0203/301239986|title=John Maginnis, "Standing Up to Jindal", January 23, 2012|publisher=businessreport.com|accessdate=January 31, 2012}}</ref>

Upon taking office as senator, Peacock cast the only vote against Republican Governor Jindal's choice of [[John Alario]], a [[Democrat]]-turned-[[Moderate Republican]] from Westwego in Jefferson Parish, to become the new president of the state Senate, succeeding the term-limited former Senator Joel Chaisson of Destrehan. In the campaign against Jane Smith, Peacock had voiced his opposition to Alario because the veteran lawmaker had been a key legislative ally in the state House during the four administrations of Democratic former Governor [[Edwin Edwards]] and had seemed unenthusiastic when he switched parties after so many years as a Democrat. Alario in turn gave Peacock the least-desired assignments in the chamber &mdash; on the Retirement and Labor committees. "We'll have our differences, but we can still be colleagues and be sociable," said Peacock, who then hitched a ride with Alario's son  from Baton Rouge to [[New Orleans]] for the LSU Tigers football game against the [[University of Alabama]] Crimson Tide.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessreport.com/article/20120123/BUSINESSREPORT0203/301239986|title=John Maginnis, "Standing Up to Jindal", January 23, 2012|publisher=businessreport.com|accessdate=January 31, 2012}}</ref>

In April 2019, Peacock proposed that the state earmark certain [[sales tax]] revenues for needed highway construction.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://710keel.com/peacock-bill-would-move-sales-tax-money-to-roads-video/|title=Peacock bill would move sales tax money to roads|publisher=KEEL Radio in Shreveport|author=Robert J. Wright|date=April 22, 2019}}</ref>  

In April 2019, Peacock proposed that the state earmark certain [[sales tax]] revenues for needed highway construction.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://710keel.com/peacock-bill-would-move-sales-tax-money-to-roads-video/|title=Peacock bill would move sales tax money to roads|publisher=KEEL Radio in Shreveport|author=Robert J. Wright|date=April 22, 2019}}</ref>

==References==

==References==