Rick L. Farrar
Encyclopedia
Rick Lamar Farrar, known as Rick L. Farrar (born 1960), is an attorney
in Pineville
, Louisiana
, who served as the Democratic
state representative
from District 27 in Rapides Parish
from 1992–1996 and again from 2000-2008.
In 1991, Farrar unseated long-term Democratic incumbent Carl Newton Gunter, Jr., of Deville
in the eastern portion of the parish, 7,729 votes (57 percent) to Gunter's 5,929 (43 percent), exactly 1,800 votes. Gunter ran into organized opposition from feminist groups who oppose his pro-life
stance. On October 21, 1995, Farrar was unseated by the Republican
Randy E. Wiggins
of Pineville, a State Farm Insurance
agent in Alexandria
. Wiggins received 6,350 votes (51.1 percent) to Farrar's 6,077 (48.9 percent). Wiggins is the first Republican ever elected to the Louisiana House from Rapides Parish since the days of Reconstruction.
In 1999, Farrar staged a comeback when Wiggins ran, not for reelection, but to the Louisiana State Senate
seat vacated by B.G. Dyess
, who retired after a single term. Wiggins narrowly lost to fomer Senator Joe McPherson
, a businessman then from Pineville and later Woodworth
. On October 23, 1999, in the nonpartisan blanket primary, often called the jungle primary, Republican school board member Randall Bryan "Randy" Tannehill (born 1960), also of Pineville, led Farrar, 4,442 (41.4 percent) to, 4,088 (38.1 percent). A third candidate, Democrat Pete Ferrington of Pineville, polled a critical 2,208 votes (20.6 percent). In the ensuing general election
, Farrar topped Tannehill, the son of Fred L. Tannehill (born February 6, 1932), a former member of the Louisiana State Board of Education. Farrar led 4,318 (54.6 percent) to Tannehill’s 3,595 (45.4 percent). Because of low turnout in the second round of balloting, without a gubernatorial contest, Farrar underpolled his primary totals by 124 votes; Tannehill, by 493 ballots.
In 2003, Farrar won again, 7,072 (61 percent) to Pete Ferrington’s 4,519 (39 percent). In 2005, Farrar was listed as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee under chairman Bryant O. Hammett, Jr.
, of Ferriday
in eastern Louisiana. In 2006, Farrar was among the lawmakers who spoke for passage of the Pet Evacuation Act, authored by State Senator Heulette Fontenot
of Livingston Parish
. The legislation was approved after the heartbreak of abandoned pets
in natural disasters surfaced during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
. After Katrina, Farrar spoke out in 2005 against state assistance to keep the New Orleans Saints
football
within the state. According to Farrar, "There's no political will I have been able to find to give them anything at this point. Instead of showing the can-do spirit of getting back on their feet, they took off. That shows a tremendous lack of character."
In 2007, Farrar was crushed as he sought his fourth nonconsecutive term in the House by Republican newcomer Chris Hazel
, 9,330 votes (62.5 percent) to 5,611 (37.5 percent). Hazel became only the second Republican since Wiggins to hold the District 27 seat since Reconstruction.
Farrar practices law in the firm of Farrar & Farrar.
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...
in Pineville
Pineville, Louisiana
Pineville is a city in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is adjacent to the city of Alexandria, and is part of that city's Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 13,829 at the 2000 census....
, 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 served as the 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...
state representative
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 27 in Rapides Parish
Rapides Parish, Louisiana
-Military Installations:*Camp Beauregard *Esler Airfield *England Air Force Base *Camp Claiborne *Camp Livingston -Demographics:...
from 1992–1996 and again from 2000-2008.
In 1991, Farrar unseated long-term Democratic incumbent Carl Newton Gunter, Jr., of Deville
Deville, Louisiana
Deville is a census-designated place in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Alexandria, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area...
in the eastern portion of the parish, 7,729 votes (57 percent) to Gunter's 5,929 (43 percent), exactly 1,800 votes. Gunter ran into organized opposition from feminist groups who oppose his pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
stance. On October 21, 1995, Farrar was unseated by 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...
Randy E. Wiggins
Randy Wiggins
Randy E. Wiggins is a State Farm Insurance agent in Alexandria, Louisiana, who is the first Republican since Reconstruction to have been elected from Rapides Parish to the Louisiana House of Representatives. Wiggins served only a single term in the Pineville-based District 27 from 1996 to 2000...
of Pineville, a State Farm Insurance
State Farm Insurance
State Farm Insurance is a group of insurance and financial services companies in the United States. The company also has operations in Canada....
agent in Alexandria
Alexandria, Louisiana
Alexandria is a city in and the parish seat of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies on the south bank of the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. It is the principal city of the Alexandria metropolitan area which encompasses all of Rapides and Grant parishes....
. Wiggins received 6,350 votes (51.1 percent) to Farrar's 6,077 (48.9 percent). Wiggins is the first Republican ever elected to the Louisiana House from Rapides Parish since the days of Reconstruction.
In 1999, Farrar staged a comeback when Wiggins ran, not for reelection, but to the Louisiana State Senate
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...
seat vacated by B.G. Dyess
B.G. Dyess
Bernice G. Dyess, known as B. G. Dyess , is a semi-retired Baptist minister from Alexandria, Louisiana, who served as a conservative Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate from 1996 to 2000, in which capacity he was known for his opposition to gambling...
, who retired after a single term. Wiggins narrowly lost to fomer Senator Joe McPherson
Joe McPherson
William Joseph "Joe" McPherson, Jr., is a retiring veteran Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate from Woodworth, a small community south of Alexandria, Louisiana, the seat of government of Rapides Parish and the largest city in the Central Louisiana region...
, a businessman then from Pineville and later Woodworth
Woodworth, Louisiana
Woodworth is a town in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Alexandria, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,080 at the 2000 census....
. On October 23, 1999, in the nonpartisan blanket primary, often called the jungle primary, Republican school board member Randall Bryan "Randy" Tannehill (born 1960), also of Pineville, led Farrar, 4,442 (41.4 percent) to, 4,088 (38.1 percent). A third candidate, Democrat Pete Ferrington of Pineville, polled a critical 2,208 votes (20.6 percent). In the ensuing 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...
, Farrar topped Tannehill, the son of Fred L. Tannehill (born February 6, 1932), a former member of the Louisiana State Board of Education. Farrar led 4,318 (54.6 percent) to Tannehill’s 3,595 (45.4 percent). Because of low turnout in the second round of balloting, without a gubernatorial contest, Farrar underpolled his primary totals by 124 votes; Tannehill, by 493 ballots.
In 2003, Farrar won again, 7,072 (61 percent) to Pete Ferrington’s 4,519 (39 percent). In 2005, Farrar was listed as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee under chairman Bryant O. Hammett, Jr.
Bryant Hammett
Bryant O'Dare Hammett, Jr. , is a civil engineer and land surveyor from Ferriday in Concordia Parish in eastern Louisiana, who served as a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1992-2006....
, of Ferriday
Ferriday, Louisiana
Ferriday is a town in Concordia Parish in northeastern Louisiana, United States. The population, which is three-fourths African American, was 3,723 at the 2000 census....
in eastern Louisiana. In 2006, Farrar was among the lawmakers who spoke for passage of the Pet Evacuation Act, authored by State Senator Heulette Fontenot
Heulette Fontenot
Heulette Clovance Fontenot, Jr., known as Clo Fontenot , is a Livingston, Louisiana, businessman who served as a Republican member of both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature between 1996 and 2008. He was a one-term member of the House of Representatives from 1996 to 2000 and served two terms...
of Livingston Parish
Livingston Parish, Louisiana
Livingston Parish Is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Its parish seat is Livingston. As of 2010, its population was 128,026....
. The legislation was approved after the heartbreak of abandoned pets
Abandoned pets
Abandoned pets are pets that are, for instance, left behind when a home goes into foreclosure or their owner passes away. These animals can be left alone on the property or dropped off at a shelter. While some are left in a shelter, they are typically discovered after the foreclosure process when...
in natural disasters surfaced during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
. After Katrina, Farrar spoke out in 2005 against state assistance to keep the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
within the state. According to Farrar, "There's no political will I have been able to find to give them anything at this point. Instead of showing the can-do spirit of getting back on their feet, they took off. That shows a tremendous lack of character."
In 2007, Farrar was crushed as he sought his fourth nonconsecutive term in the House by Republican newcomer Chris Hazel
Chris Hazel
Lowell Christopher Hazel, known as Chris Hazel , is an attorney from Pineville, Louisiana, and a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 27, which encompasses northern Rapides Parish....
, 9,330 votes (62.5 percent) to 5,611 (37.5 percent). Hazel became only the second Republican since Wiggins to hold the District 27 seat since Reconstruction.
Farrar practices law in the firm of Farrar & Farrar.