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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 bachelor's degrees in both 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 bachelor's degrees in both 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 co-owner and operator of La-Z-Boy Furniture and Stoma's Furniture and Interiors in Lafayette. He gained name identification in the community through his furniture advertising on local[[ television]] stations as well as his earlier profile as a coach.<ref>Kevin Blanchard, ''Alexander's not running: Republican honoring commitment to two-term limit," ''The Baton Rouge Morning Advocate,'' July 28, 2007.</ref>​

Cortez is a co-owner and operator of La-Z-Boy Furniture and Stoma's Furniture and Interiors in Lafayette. He gained name identification in the community through his furniture advertising on local[[ television]] stations as well as his earlier profile as a coach.<ref>Kevin Blanchard, ''Alexander's not running: Republican honoring commitment to two-term limit," ''The Baton Rouge Morning Advocate,'' July 28, 2007.</ref>​

 

==Political life==​

==Political life==​

Cortez sought the House seat when the Republican Ernest Joseph "Ernie" Alexander, Jr. (1933-2012) was contemplating seeking a third term. Cortez has been allied with former state Senator Michael J. Michot, a former Democrat and Cortez's fraternity brother at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and with the then [[Independent]]] (since Republican) former District 45 state Representative Joel Craig Robideaux (born 1962), both of whom actively supported Cortez in the race against [[Patrick LeBlanc]] through an organization called "Leadership for Louisiana." In the 2007 House primary, Cortez defeated fellow Republican Patrick LeBlanc, an architect who owned  the private-prison company LCS Corrections Services. Cortez received 7,742 votes (55.5 percent) compared to LeBlanc's 6,218 ballots (44.5 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 20, 2007.</ref> Less than five months after the election, LeBlanc  and his pilot died in a small-craft airplane crash near Abbeville in Vermilion Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theind.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2183&Itemid=93|title=Home – IND Media|website=theind.com|access-date=February 16, 2018}}</ref>​

Cortez sought the House seat when the Republican Ernest Joseph "Ernie" Alexander, Jr. (1933-2012) was contemplating seeking a third term. Cortez has been allied with former state Senator Michael J. Michot, a former Democrat and Cortez's fraternity brother at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and with the then [[Independent]]] (since Republican) former District 45 state Representative Joel Craig Robideaux (born 1962), both of whom actively supported Cortez in the race against [[Patrick LeBlanc]] through an organization called "Leadership for Louisiana." In the 2007 House primary, Cortez defeated fellow Republican Patrick LeBlanc, an architect who owned  the private-prison company LCS Corrections Services. Cortez received 7,742 votes (55.5 percent) compared to LeBlanc's 6,218 ballots (44.5 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 20, 2007.</ref> Less than five months after the election, LeBlanc  and his pilot died in a small-craft airplane crash near Abbeville in Vermilion Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theind.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2183&Itemid=93|title=Home – IND Media|website=theind.com|access-date=February 16, 2018}}</ref>​

 

Ernie Alexander and then [[U.S. Representative]] Charles Boustany, a Lafayette physician and former Democrat in Louisiana's since disbanded 7th congressional district, endorsed Patrick LeBlanc for the state House seat, rather than Cortez. Boustany and LeBlanc also endorsed the failed 2008 candidacy of former [[New York City]] [[Mayor]] [[Rudy Giuliani]] for the Republican presidential nomination. His opponents questioned LeBlanc regarding facilities in Bastrop in Morehouse Parish in north Louisiana and in [[San Antonio]], [[Texas]]. No charges, however, were ever brought against LeBlanc from wrongdoing regarding the prisons.<ref>[http://www.politicsla.com/site/memberblogs/how_about_manning_up/ PoliticsLA.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>​

Ernie Alexander and then [[U.S. Representative]] Charles Boustany, a Lafayette physician and former Democrat in Louisiana's since disbanded 7th congressional district, endorsed Patrick LeBlanc for the state House seat, rather than Cortez. Boustany and LeBlanc also endorsed the failed 2008 candidacy of former [[New York City]] [[Mayor]] [[Rudy Giuliani]] for the Republican presidential nomination. His opponents questioned LeBlanc regarding facilities in Bastrop in Morehouse Parish in north Louisiana and in [[San Antonio]], [[Texas]]. No charges, however, were ever brought against LeBlanc from wrongdoing regarding the prisons.<ref>[http://www.politicsla.com/site/memberblogs/how_about_manning_up/ PoliticsLA.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

 

When Senator Michot was term-limited, Cortez succeeded him the position. Jerry Luke LeBlanc, the former commissioner of administration under [[Governor]] [[Kathleen Blanco]] and an [[Independent]], declined to run for the seat in 2012 and left Cortez without an opponen for the Senate seat.​

When Senator Michot was term-limited, Cortez succeeded him the position. Jerry Luke LeBlanc, the former commissioner of administration under [[Governor]] [[Kathleen Blanco]] and an [[Independent]], declined to run for the seat in 2012 and left Cortez without an opponen for the Senate seat.​

 

As a House member, Cortez served on these committees: Appropriations, Insurance, and Retirement and the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget, and the Energy Council.<ref>[http://representativepagecortez.com/biography Representative Page Cortez – Biography]</ref>​

As a House member, Cortez served on these committees: Appropriations, Insurance, and Retirement and the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget, and the Energy Council.<ref>[http://representativepagecortez.com/biography Representative Page Cortez – Biography]</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>Many La. incumbents get a free pass, ''The Alexandria Town Talk,'' September 9, 2011.</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>​