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Cortez is also the former District 43 member of the Louisiana House of Representative, a post which he filled for only one term. He vacated the seat in January 2012 to become a state senator.​

Cortez is also the former District 43 member of the Louisiana House of Representative, a post which he filled for only one term. He vacated the seat in January 2012 to become a state senator.​

 

==Background==​

==Background==​

Cortez is a descendant of Louisiana Isleño people. He graduated from Lafayette High School]] and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, from which he received two bachelor's degrees in education and general studies.  A former classroom teacher and coach, he is a former member of the Lafayette Parks and Recreation Commission. He is married to the former Angela Stoma (born 1964), and they have two children, Matthew and Maria Cortez.<ref>[http://house.louisiana.gov/H_Misc/Press_Rel/PDF/0116_08_2008CmteMembership.pdf Committee Appointments<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>​

Cortez is a descendant of Louisiana Isleño people. He graduated from Lafayette High School]] and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, from which he received two bachelor's degrees in education and general studies.  A former classroom teacher and coach, he is a former member of the Lafayette Parks and Recreation Commission. He is married to the former Angela Stoma (born 1964), and they have two children, Matthew and Maria Cortez.<ref>[http://house.louisiana.gov/H_Misc/Press_Rel/PDF/0116_08_2008CmteMembership.pdf Committee Appointments<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>​

Cortez's early votes in the legislature were successful measures to restrict gifts to elected officials, banning public funds for human cloning, and prohibiting the use of cell phones while driving. He opposed the "Anti-Bullying" bill, which the state House rejected in April 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=93829|title=The Voter's Self Defense System|publisher=Project Vote Smart|access-date=February 16, 2018}}</ref> Cortez supported a failed measure in 2008 which would have made it easier for juvenile offenders who commit heinous crimes to become eligible for [[parole]], a position counter to his ally Robideaux.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://conservativecajun.blogspot.com/|title=The Conservative Cajun|website=conservativecajun.blogspot.com|access-date=February 16, 2018}}</ref> However, Cortez played an instrumental role in helping victims' rights supporters to defeat the same legislation in committee in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://conservativecajun.blogspot.com//2009/05/victims-rights-upheld-in-committee.html/|title=The Conservative Cajun|access-date=February 16, 2018}}</ref>​

Cortez's early votes in the legislature were successful measures to restrict gifts to elected officials, banning public funds for human cloning, and prohibiting the use of cell phones while driving. He opposed the "Anti-Bullying" bill, which the state House rejected in April 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=93829|title=The Voter's Self Defense System|publisher=Project Vote Smart|access-date=February 16, 2018}}</ref> Cortez supported a failed measure in 2008 which would have made it easier for juvenile offenders who commit heinous crimes to become eligible for [[parole]], a position counter to his ally Robideaux.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://conservativecajun.blogspot.com/|title=The Conservative Cajun|website=conservativecajun.blogspot.com|access-date=February 16, 2018}}</ref> However, Cortez played an instrumental role in helping victims' rights supporters to defeat the same legislation in committee in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://conservativecajun.blogspot.com//2009/05/victims-rights-upheld-in-committee.html/|title=The Conservative Cajun|access-date=February 16, 2018}}</ref>​

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When he moved up to the Senate, Cortez was succeeded in the House in 2012 by Stuart James Bishop (born 1975),  a Lafayette businessman without previous political experience. Bishop also ran unopposed in his House primary, as did a third Republican, former state Representative Ronnie Johns, a Moderate Republican from Sulphur in Calcasieu Parish near [[Lake Charles]], who succeeded the term-limited Willie Landry Mount (female) in the District 27  Senate seat.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20110909/NEWS01/110909012/Analysis-Many-La-incumbents-get-free-pass-|title=Many La. incumbents get a free pass, September 9, 2011|newspaper=[[The Town Talk (Alexandria)|The Alexandria Daily Town Talk]]|accessdate=September 11, 2011}}{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>​

When he moved up to the Senate, Cortez was succeeded in the House in 2012 by Stuart James Bishop (born 1975),  a Lafayette businessman without previous political experience. Bishop also ran unopposed in his House primary, as did a third Republican, former state Representative Ronnie Johns, a Moderate Republican from Sulphur in Calcasieu Parish near [[Lake Charles]], who succeeded the term-limited Willie Landry Mount (female) in the District 27  Senate seat.<ref>Many La. incumbents get a free pass, ''The Alexandria Town Talk,'' September 9, 2011.</ref>​

==References==

==References==