Alan Seabaugh
Encyclopedia
Alan Thomas Seabaugh is an attorney
from Shreveport
, Louisiana
, who is a Republican
member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
from District 5 in Caddo Parish
. Seabaugh's district has been represented without interruption by a Republican House member since 1972.
in Baton Rouge
on an academic scholarship. He received his Bachelor of Arts
degree in 1990. In 1993, he received his law degree from LSU's Paul M. Hebert Law Center.
Seabaugh is licensed to practice in all Louisiana state courts, in all three U.S. district courts in the State of Louisiana, and before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
, based in New Orleans
. His practice includes insurance defense and claims, contracts, family law, divorce, child support and custody, real estate law, property law, and civil and commercial litigation.
He is married to the former Laura McClelland and has four daughters. He is a member of the National Rifle Association
, Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
, National Federation of Independent Business, Alliance Defense Fund
, Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce
, the Shreveport and Louisiana Bar Associations, the Heritage Foundation, and the Federalist Society
. He is the Executive Director of the South Highland Athletic Association and the administrator and coach of baseball, softball, and T-ball at his home church, Calvary Baptist
of Shreveport.
Sherri Smith Cheek
of Keithville
in Caddo Parish, who sought her second term in the upper legislative chamber. Seabaugh polled 14,725 votes (47 percent), but Cheek prevailed with 16,665 (53 percent). The district includes south Caddo and DeSoto Parish, the latter of which provided most of Cheek's margin of victory in the race.
Seabaugh said that Cheek "doesn't represent the values of the district. It begins and ends with her voting record. She runs as a Republican and votes like a Democrat." Seabaugh said that he was disturbed that so many from Caddo Parish had left Louisiana to seek economic opportunity elsewhere.
, who accepted the position of director of the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum at the fairgrounds in Shreveport.
A conservative Republican, Seabaugh received the backing of business and Christian groups as well as the newly-formed TEA Party
to easily win election. He is the first member of the Louisiana legislature to have been elected as a "TEA Party Republican."
Seabaugh's first legislative session dealt with redistricting state legislative and congressional districts. Seabaugh took a leading role in drafting the map of Louisiana's House of Representative's districts authoring a key amendment which prevented the creation of an additional minority district in the Southern Hills area of Shreveport.. The "Seabaugh Amendment", which passed 59-46, became the primary basis of an objection to the redistricting plan from the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus, the NAACP, and the National Urban League
. Despite these objections, the plan was approved by the U.S. Justice Department.
In the 2011 legislative session, Seabaugh joined the House majority in opposition to a bill designed to promote the teaching and acceptance of homosexuality in Louisiana's public schools. The bill, which was sponsored and promoted by Forum For Equality a gay rights advocacy group, was promoted as an "anti-bullying" bill. Critics, including the Louisiana Family Forum
, said that the legislation would be used to promote homosexual life-styles. Seabaugh proposed an amendment which defined bulling as "any intimidating, threating, or abusive gesture, written, verbal, or physical act."
Seabaugh's amendment removed the controversial language. Nevertheless, Seabaugh still voted against the bill even with his attached amendment when the bill's author indicated that he would attempt to remove Seabaugh's amendment in the Senate. Seabaugh said that the proposed legislation was an attempt to compel public schools "to adopt into their code of student conduct this language which is straight out of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender model legislation playbook."
Seabaugh also introduced legislation to require presidential candidates to present proof that they meet the U.S. Constitutional qualifications for the office as a requirement to be listed on the Louisiana ballot. Governor Bobby Jindal
had pledged to sign Seabaugh's bill had it reached his desk, but Seabaugh withdrew the bill because of a lack of legislative support.
Seabaugh has served as a member of Louisiana's Republican State Central Committee since 2008. He was a delegate and vice chairman of the Louisiana delegation to the 2008 Republican National Convention
held in St. Paul, Minnesota
. He was also a presidential elector that year for the unsuccessful McCain
/Palin
ticket. He was a delegate to the 2010 Southern Republican Leadership Conference
which convened in New Orleans.
In the primary election held on October 22, 2011, Seabaugh handily defeated his opponent, fellow Republican Cynthia Norton Robertson, 6,031 votes (79.3 percent) to 1,578 (20.7 percent).
District 5 has been represented by a Republican since 1972. Prior to Waddell, the representative was the current state court Judge Roy Brun
. Brun succeeded the late B. F. O'Neal, Jr.
, a Republican and the first District 5 representative.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
from Shreveport
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, who is a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
Louisiana House of Representatives
The Louisiana House of Representatives is the lower house in the Louisiana State Legislature, the state legislature of the US state of Louisiana. The House is composed of 105 Representatives, each of whom represents approximately 42,500 people . Members serve four-year terms with a term limit of...
from District 5 in Caddo Parish
Caddo Parish, Louisiana
Caddo Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Shreveport; as of 2000, the population was 252,161...
. Seabaugh's district has been represented without interruption by a Republican House member since 1972.
Background
Seabaugh graduated in 1985 from Captain Shreve High School and attended Louisiana State UniversityLouisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
in Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
on an academic scholarship. He received his Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1990. In 1993, he received his law degree from LSU's Paul M. Hebert Law Center.
Seabaugh is licensed to practice in all Louisiana state courts, in all three U.S. district courts in the State of Louisiana, and before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Louisiana* Middle District of Louisiana...
, based in New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. His practice includes insurance defense and claims, contracts, family law, divorce, child support and custody, real estate law, property law, and civil and commercial litigation.
He is married to the former Laura McClelland and has four daughters. He is a member of the National Rifle Association
National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
, Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, known by the acronym LABI, is the largest and most successful business lobbying group in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It was founded in Baton Rouge in 1976, when Louisiana adopted a new right-to-work law during the administration of Democratic...
, National Federation of Independent Business, Alliance Defense Fund
Alliance Defense Fund
The Alliance Defense Fund is a conservative Christian nonprofit organization with the stated goal of "defending the right to hear and speak the Truth through strategy, training, funding, and litigation." ADF was founded in 1994 by the late Bill Bright , the late Larry Burkett , James Dobson The...
, Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
, the Shreveport and Louisiana Bar Associations, the Heritage Foundation, and the Federalist Society
Federalist Society
The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies, most frequently called simply the Federalist Society, is an organization of conservatives seeking reform of the current American legal system in accordance with a textualist and/or originalist interpretation of the U.S. Constitution...
. He is the Executive Director of the South Highland Athletic Association and the administrator and coach of baseball, softball, and T-ball at his home church, Calvary Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
of Shreveport.
2007 State Senate campaign
In 2007, Seabaugh unsuccessfully challenged Republican State SenatorLouisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
Sherri Smith Cheek
Sherri Smith Cheek
Sherri Smith Cheek is a businesswoman from Shreveport, Louisiana, who is a second-term Republican member of the Louisiana State Senate from District 38...
of Keithville
Keithville, Louisiana
Keithville is an unincorporated community in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies to the south of Shreveport along U.S. Route 171. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 71047. Along with a large elementary and middle school, Keithville has several...
in Caddo Parish, who sought her second term in the upper legislative chamber. Seabaugh polled 14,725 votes (47 percent), but Cheek prevailed with 16,665 (53 percent). The district includes south Caddo and DeSoto Parish, the latter of which provided most of Cheek's margin of victory in the race.
Seabaugh said that Cheek "doesn't represent the values of the district. It begins and ends with her voting record. She runs as a Republican and votes like a Democrat." Seabaugh said that he was disturbed that so many from Caddo Parish had left Louisiana to seek economic opportunity elsewhere.
Republican representative
Seabaugh was elected to the legislature in 2010 to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Republican Wayne WaddellWayne Waddell
Wayne Leo Waddell is a Shreveport businessman and a Republican former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 5 in Caddo Parish...
, who accepted the position of director of the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum at the fairgrounds in Shreveport.
A conservative Republican, Seabaugh received the backing of business and Christian groups as well as the newly-formed TEA Party
Tea Party movement
The Tea Party movement is an American populist political movement that is generally recognized as conservative and libertarian, and has sponsored protests and supported political candidates since 2009...
to easily win election. He is the first member of the Louisiana legislature to have been elected as a "TEA Party Republican."
Seabaugh's first legislative session dealt with redistricting state legislative and congressional districts. Seabaugh took a leading role in drafting the map of Louisiana's House of Representative's districts authoring a key amendment which prevented the creation of an additional minority district in the Southern Hills area of Shreveport.. The "Seabaugh Amendment", which passed 59-46, became the primary basis of an objection to the redistricting plan from the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus, the NAACP, and the National Urban League
National Urban League
The National Urban League , formerly known as the National League on Urban Conditions Among Negroes, is a nonpartisan civil rights organization based in New York City that advocates on behalf of African Americans and against racial discrimination in the United States. It is the oldest and largest...
. Despite these objections, the plan was approved by the U.S. Justice Department.
In the 2011 legislative session, Seabaugh joined the House majority in opposition to a bill designed to promote the teaching and acceptance of homosexuality in Louisiana's public schools. The bill, which was sponsored and promoted by Forum For Equality a gay rights advocacy group, was promoted as an "anti-bullying" bill. Critics, including the Louisiana Family Forum
Louisiana Family Forum
Louisiana Family Forum is a social conservative non-profit advocacy group based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The organization supports Louisiana's covenant marriage law and opposes abortion and same-sex marriage...
, said that the legislation would be used to promote homosexual life-styles. Seabaugh proposed an amendment which defined bulling as "any intimidating, threating, or abusive gesture, written, verbal, or physical act."
Seabaugh's amendment removed the controversial language. Nevertheless, Seabaugh still voted against the bill even with his attached amendment when the bill's author indicated that he would attempt to remove Seabaugh's amendment in the Senate. Seabaugh said that the proposed legislation was an attempt to compel public schools "to adopt into their code of student conduct this language which is straight out of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender model legislation playbook."
Seabaugh also introduced legislation to require presidential candidates to present proof that they meet the U.S. Constitutional qualifications for the office as a requirement to be listed on the Louisiana ballot. Governor Bobby Jindal
Bobby Jindal
Piyush "Bobby" Jindal is the 55th and current Governor of Louisiana and formerly a member of the United States House of Representatives. He is a member of the Republican Party....
had pledged to sign Seabaugh's bill had it reached his desk, but Seabaugh withdrew the bill because of a lack of legislative support.
Seabaugh has served as a member of Louisiana's Republican State Central Committee since 2008. He was a delegate and vice chairman of the Louisiana delegation to the 2008 Republican National Convention
2008 Republican National Convention
The United States 2008 Republican National Convention took place at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota, from September 1, through September 4, 2008...
held in St. Paul, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. He was also a presidential elector that year for the unsuccessful McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
/Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
ticket. He was a delegate to the 2010 Southern Republican Leadership Conference
Republican Leadership Conference
The Republican Leadership Conference is a political event held in the Southern United States before each presidential election. The event is attended by Republican Party activists, elected officials, and candidates for office. It was formerly known as the Southern Republican Leadership Conference...
which convened in New Orleans.
In the primary election held on October 22, 2011, Seabaugh handily defeated his opponent, fellow Republican Cynthia Norton Robertson, 6,031 votes (79.3 percent) to 1,578 (20.7 percent).
District 5 has been represented by a Republican since 1972. Prior to Waddell, the representative was the current state court Judge Roy Brun
Roy Brun
Roy Louis Brun is a First Judicial District state judge in Shreveport , who was a Republican member of the Louisiana state Louisiana House of Representatives from 1988-1997...
. Brun succeeded the late B. F. O'Neal, Jr.
B. F. O'Neal, Jr.
Benjamin Franklin "Ben" O'Neal, Jr., was a Shreveport businessman and a pioneer in the development of the modern Republican Party in Louisiana. O'Neal was a member of the Caddo Parish Police Jury from 1964–1968 and the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1972-1988.He was born in Shreveport to...
, a Republican and the first District 5 representative.