Bobby Badon
Encyclopedia
Bobby Gene Badon is a farmer and businessman from Carencro
, Louisiana
, who is a departing one-term Democratic
member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
from District 39 (Lafayette
, St. Landry
, and St. Martin
parishes). In 2012, the St. Martin Parish precincts will be removed from District 39.
Badon graduated in 1968 from Northside High School
in Lafayette
. Prior to his legislative tenure, Badon was a two-term member of the Carencro City Council in Lafayette Parish. He is a veteran of the United States Navy
. Badon is Roman Catholic.
In 2007, he defeated the Republican
candidate, Raymond "La La" Lalonde, a former Democratic member of the Louisiana House. In the low-turnout general election
held on November 17, 2007, Badon polled 3,914 (52 percent) to Lalonde's 3,662 (48 percent). Badon attributed crossover Republican voters who helped to secure his Democratic victory. He vowed to end corrupt practices in Louisiana state government: "I have not sold my vote to any special interest group. When I get to Baton Rouge
, I don't owe anyone any favors," he told the Lafayette Daily Advertiser
.
In the October 20 nonpartisan blanket primary Lalonde had led Badon, 4,352 (30 percent) to 4,028 (27 percent). Two other primary candidates, both Democrats, held a combined and critical 43 percent of the vote. Incumbent Clara Baudoin was term-limited and hence ineligible to seek a fourth term.
Badon served on these House committees: (1) Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development, (2) Commerce, and (3) Natural Resources and Environment. In 2010, Badon was ranked 94 percent by the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
and 67 percent by the Louisiana Family Forum
. In 2009, he was given 100 percent ranking by the Louisiana Right to Life
Federation.
On January 18, 2010, Badon was arrested in Carencro for driving while intoxicated after a Louisiana trooper stopped him for alleged improper lane usage. In June 2011, a state district court judge, Herman Clause, threw out the first-offense DWI case on grounds that the officer had no grounds to have stopped Badon.
On August 2, 2011, Badon announced that because of his farming and business commitments he would not seek reelection in the October 22 nonpartisan blanket primary.
Home builder Stephen Ortego
, a Democrat who polled 25 percent of the ballots in the 2007 primary against Badon, ran again for the post in redistricted
territory. The redrawn district will include Scott
, now in District 45 represented by Speaker Pro Tempore Joel Robideaux
of Lafayette, and southern St. Landry Parish.
Primary results place Ortego in the November 19, 2011, general election with Republican Don Menard, who led the three-candidate field with 44.5 percent. Ortego trailed with 35 percent, and the Independent candidate, James "Jaime" Arnaud, held the remaining 20.5 percent of the ballots cast. Menard carries the backing of U.S. Senator David Vitter
's Louisiana Committee for a Republican Majority. Stephen Ortego then won the general election with 55 percent of the vote.
Carencro, Louisiana
Carencro[p] is a small city in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is a suburb of the nearby city of Lafayette. The population was 6,120 at the 2000 census. Its name comes from the Louisiana Creole word for buzzard: the spot was one where large flocks of buzzards roosted in the bald...
, 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 departing one-term Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
Louisiana 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...
from District 39 (Lafayette
Lafayette Parish, Louisiana
Lafayette Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Lafayette. According to the 2010 Census, its population was recorded as 221,578....
, St. Landry
St. Landry Parish, Louisiana
St. Landry Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is at the heart of Acadian/Cajun culture and heritage in Louisiana. The parish seat is Opelousas. According to the 2010 census, the population of St. Landry Parish is 83,384.St...
, and St. Martin
St. Martin Parish, Louisiana
St. Martin Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is St. Martinville. As of the 2000 census, the population was 48,583.St...
parishes). In 2012, the St. Martin Parish precincts will be removed from District 39.
Badon graduated in 1968 from Northside High School
Northside High School (Lafayette, Louisiana)
-Mission statement:Northside High School seeks to provide a challenging learning environmentby encouraging high expectations for success, implementing rigorous instructionand allowing for individual differences and learning styles...
in Lafayette
Lafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...
. Prior to his legislative tenure, Badon was a two-term member of the Carencro City Council in Lafayette Parish. He is a veteran of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. Badon is Roman Catholic.
In 2007, he defeated the 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...
candidate, Raymond "La La" Lalonde, a former Democratic member of the Louisiana House. In the low-turnout general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
held on November 17, 2007, Badon polled 3,914 (52 percent) to Lalonde's 3,662 (48 percent). Badon attributed crossover Republican voters who helped to secure his Democratic victory. He vowed to end corrupt practices in Louisiana state government: "I have not sold my vote to any special interest group. When I get to 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...
, I don't owe anyone any favors," he told the Lafayette Daily Advertiser
Lafayette Daily Advertiser
The Daily Advertiser is a Gannett daily newspaper based in Lafayette, the fourth largest city in Louisiana. The Daily Advertiser covers international, national, state, and local news in the six parishes of Lafayette, Acadia, Iberia, St. Landry, St. Martin, and Vermilion. The publication circulates...
.
In the October 20 nonpartisan blanket primary Lalonde had led Badon, 4,352 (30 percent) to 4,028 (27 percent). Two other primary candidates, both Democrats, held a combined and critical 43 percent of the vote. Incumbent Clara Baudoin was term-limited and hence ineligible to seek a fourth term.
Badon served on these House committees: (1) Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development, (2) Commerce, and (3) Natural Resources and Environment. In 2010, Badon was ranked 94 percent by the 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...
and 67 percent by 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...
. In 2009, he was given 100 percent ranking by the Louisiana Right to Life
Right to life
Right to life is a phrase that describes the belief that a human being has an essential right to live, particularly that a human being has the right not to be killed by another human being...
Federation.
On January 18, 2010, Badon was arrested in Carencro for driving while intoxicated after a Louisiana trooper stopped him for alleged improper lane usage. In June 2011, a state district court judge, Herman Clause, threw out the first-offense DWI case on grounds that the officer had no grounds to have stopped Badon.
On August 2, 2011, Badon announced that because of his farming and business commitments he would not seek reelection in the October 22 nonpartisan blanket primary.
Home builder Stephen Ortego
Stephen Ortego
Stephen Juan Ortego is a Democratic member-elect of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Carencro in Lafayette Parish. He was elected on November 19, 2011 and will assume office on January 9, 2012.-Biography:...
, a Democrat who polled 25 percent of the ballots in the 2007 primary against Badon, ran again for the post in redistricted
Redistricting
Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...
territory. The redrawn district will include Scott
Scott, Louisiana
Scott is the second largest municipality in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population rose to over 8,000 according to the 2010 census results.Scott is a suburb of Lafayette and is part of the Lafayette Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, now in District 45 represented by Speaker Pro Tempore Joel Robideaux
Joel Robideaux
Joel Craig Robideaux is a Certified Public Accountant from Lafayette, Louisiana, who is an Independent-turned-Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 45 in Lafayette Parish...
of Lafayette, and southern St. Landry Parish.
Primary results place Ortego in the November 19, 2011, general election with Republican Don Menard, who led the three-candidate field with 44.5 percent. Ortego trailed with 35 percent, and the Independent candidate, James "Jaime" Arnaud, held the remaining 20.5 percent of the ballots cast. Menard carries the backing of U.S. Senator David Vitter
David Vitter
David Vitter is the junior United States Senator from Louisiana and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he served in the United States House of Representatives, representing the suburban Louisiana's 1st congressional district. He served as a member of the Louisiana House of...
's Louisiana Committee for a Republican Majority. Stephen Ortego then won the general election with 55 percent of the vote.