Robert M. Marionneaux
Encyclopedia
Robert Mark Marionneaux, Jr., also known as Rob Marrionneaux (born October 7, 1968), is an attorney in Baton Rouge
, Louisiana
, who has served since 1996 as a Democrat
in both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature
. Since 2000, Marionneaux has been a member of the Louisiana State Senate
.
Term-limited, Marrionneaux was ineligible to run again for the Senate in the October 22, 2011, nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 22, 2011. His seat will hence be filled in January 2012 by the Democrat Rick Ward, III.
from District 18, which encompassed Iberville
, Pointe Coupee
, West Baton Rouge
, and West Feliciana
parishes. Marrionneaux's Senate District 17 include all or portions of East Baton Rouge
, East Feliciana
, Iberville, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena
, and West Baton Rouge parishes.
In the primary for the state Senate held on October 23, 1999, Representative Marionneaux led the Republican
candidate, Tim Johnson, 18,204 votes (45.5 percent) to 12,502 (31.2 percent). A third candidate, Democrat Clyde W. Kimball, held the remaining 9,335 ballots (23.3 percent). Marionneaux narrowly won in the November 20 general election
, 15,786 (50.8 percent) to Johnson's 15,266 (49.2 percent). The incumbent
Republican state senator, Thomas A. Greene, did not seek reelection but ran instead unsuccessfully for governor.
In the 2003 primary, Johnson again challenged Marionneaux, but the incumbent handily prevailed, 27,845 votes (61.5 percent) to 13,204 (39.2 percent). A second Republican, John M. Evans, held the remaining 4,207 votes (9.3 percent). In 2007, Republicans did not offer a candidate against Marionneaux, who won a third Senate term with nearly 83 percent of the ballots cast.
Marionneaux is chairman of Senate Judiciary B, the committee which oversees the criminal justice
system, including juvenile justice, the Louisiana Department of Corrections, and all issues related to gambling
. He also serves on the (1) Senate and Governmental Affairs, (2) the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs, and (3) the Senate Technology committees.
On May 25, 2010, a Marionneaux proposal to ban smoking
in all bars, casino
s, and other gambling sites in Louisiana failed on an 8-4 vote to clear the House Health and Welfare Committee. The state already forbids smoking in restaurant
s.
in Iberville Parish. He and his wife, the former Keely Williams, have one son, Robert M. Marionneaux, III. Marionneaux was reared on a small farm in Maringouin.
He graduated from Catholic High School of Pointe Coupee
in New Roads
in Pointe Coupee Parish. Marionneaux then attended Louisiana State University
at Baton Rouge, from which he received the Bachelor of Science
degree in criminal justice. He was his discipline's representative on the LSU Student Council. He was elected president of the general college student body and was affiliated with Sigma Nu
social fraternity. Thereafter, Marionneaux enrolled at historically black Southern University
Law School in Baton Rouge, where he was on the dean's list and participated in law review. He was the first white person elected as a student representative at Southern and served as vice president of the law center student body. He is a member of the Pointe Coupee and Iberville chambers of commerce
and the state and the 18th Judicial District bar associations.
Since 2001, Marionneaux has practiced in the firm, Unglesby & Marionneaux in Baton Rouge. He is affiliated with the American Trial Lawyers Association. Marionneaux has a cattle
ranch at Grosse Tete
. He lists his residence as Maringouin.Marionneaux is Roman Catholic.
Marionneaux was mentioned in 2011 as a potential Democratic opponent of Governor Bobby Jindal
, but he did not seek the state's highest constitutional office.
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...
, 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 has served since 1996 as a Democrat
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...
in both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature
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...
. Since 2000, Marionneaux has been a member of 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...
.
Term-limited, Marrionneaux was ineligible to run again for the Senate in the October 22, 2011, nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 22, 2011. His seat will hence be filled in January 2012 by the Democrat Rick Ward, III.
Legislative career
From 1996 to 2000, Marionneaux served for a single term in the Louisiana House of RepresentativesLouisiana 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 18, which encompassed Iberville
Iberville Parish, Louisiana
Iberville Parish is a parish located south of Baton Rouge in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Its seat is Plaquemine. The 2010 population of the parish was 33,387....
, Pointe Coupee
Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana
Pointe Coupee Parish, pronounced "Pwent Koo-Pay" and , is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is New Roads. As of 2000, the population was 22,763....
, West Baton Rouge
West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana
West Baton Rouge Parish is one of the sixty-four parishes in the U.S. state of Louisiana, and is the smallest in total area. The parish seat is Port Allen and as of 2010, the population was 23,788. The parish has a highly-rated school system and is one of the few in Louisiana that has privatized...
, and West Feliciana
West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 15,111 people, 3,645 households, and 2,704 families residing in the parish. The population density was 37 people per square mile . There were 4,485 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile...
parishes. Marrionneaux's Senate District 17 include all or portions of East Baton Rouge
East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana
East Baton Rouge Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Baton Rouge, Louisiana's state capital. As of the 2010 census, the population was 440,171. The parish has a total area of , of which is land and is water. It is the most populous parish in the state...
, East Feliciana
East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana
East Feliciana Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Clinton. In 2000, the population was 21,360.East Feliciana Parish is part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Baton Rouge–Pierre Part Combined Statistical...
, Iberville, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena
St. Helena Parish, Louisiana
St. Helena Parish is a parish in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Its seat is Greensburg. As of 2000, its population was 10,525.St. Helena Parish is part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Baton Rouge–Pierre Part Combined Statistical Area.-History:For the past...
, and West Baton Rouge parishes.
In the primary for the state Senate held on October 23, 1999, Representative Marionneaux led 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, Tim Johnson, 18,204 votes (45.5 percent) to 12,502 (31.2 percent). A third candidate, Democrat Clyde W. Kimball, held the remaining 9,335 ballots (23.3 percent). Marionneaux narrowly won in the November 20 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...
, 15,786 (50.8 percent) to Johnson's 15,266 (49.2 percent). The incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
Republican state senator, Thomas A. Greene, did not seek reelection but ran instead unsuccessfully for governor.
In the 2003 primary, Johnson again challenged Marionneaux, but the incumbent handily prevailed, 27,845 votes (61.5 percent) to 13,204 (39.2 percent). A second Republican, John M. Evans, held the remaining 4,207 votes (9.3 percent). In 2007, Republicans did not offer a candidate against Marionneaux, who won a third Senate term with nearly 83 percent of the ballots cast.
Marionneaux is chairman of Senate Judiciary B, the committee which oversees the criminal justice
Criminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
system, including juvenile justice, the Louisiana Department of Corrections, and all issues related to gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
. He also serves on the (1) Senate and Governmental Affairs, (2) the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs, and (3) the Senate Technology committees.
On May 25, 2010, a Marionneaux proposal to ban smoking
Smoking
Smoking is a practice in which a substance, most commonly tobacco or cannabis, is burned and the smoke is tasted or inhaled. This is primarily practised as a route of administration for recreational drug use, as combustion releases the active substances in drugs such as nicotine and makes them...
in all bars, casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
s, and other gambling sites in Louisiana failed on an 8-4 vote to clear the House Health and Welfare Committee. The state already forbids smoking in restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s.
Personal life
Marionneaux was born in Baton Rouge to Robert M. Marionneaux, Sr. (1937–1997), and the former Patricia Smith of MaringouinMaringouin, Louisiana
Maringouin is a town in Iberville Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,262 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Maringouin is located at ....
in Iberville Parish. He and his wife, the former Keely Williams, have one son, Robert M. Marionneaux, III. Marionneaux was reared on a small farm in Maringouin.
He graduated from Catholic High School of Pointe Coupee
Catholic High School of Pointe Coupee
Catholic High School of Pointe Coupee is a Catholic Interparochial school in New Roads, Louisiana. It was founded in 1904 by the Sisters of St. Joseph who were commissioned to bring Catholic education to Pointe Coupee Parish.-History:...
in New Roads
New Roads, Louisiana
New Roads is a city in and the parish seat of Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana, United States. The center of population of Louisiana is located in New Roads . The population was 4,996 at the 2000 census. The city's ZIP code is 70760...
in Pointe Coupee Parish. Marionneaux then attended Louisiana State University
Louisiana 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...
at Baton Rouge, from which he received the Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in criminal justice. He was his discipline's representative on the LSU Student Council. He was elected president of the general college student body and was affiliated with Sigma Nu
Sigma Nu
Sigma Nu is an undergraduate, college fraternity with chapters in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Sigma Nu was founded in 1869 by three cadets at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia...
social fraternity. Thereafter, Marionneaux enrolled at historically black Southern University
Southern University
Southern University and A&M College is a historically black college located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Baton Rouge campus is located on Scott’s Bluff overlooking the Mississippi River in the northern section...
Law School in Baton Rouge, where he was on the dean's list and participated in law review. He was the first white person elected as a student representative at Southern and served as vice president of the law center student body. He is a member of the Pointe Coupee and Iberville chambers 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...
and the state and the 18th Judicial District bar associations.
Since 2001, Marionneaux has practiced in the firm, Unglesby & Marionneaux in Baton Rouge. He is affiliated with the American Trial Lawyers Association. Marionneaux has a cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
ranch at Grosse Tete
Grosse Tete, Louisiana
Grosse Tête is a village in Iberville Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 670 at the 2000 census. Its name is French for "Big Head." Its local pronunciation is "gross tate."...
. He lists his residence as Maringouin.Marionneaux is Roman Catholic.
Marionneaux was mentioned in 2011 as a potential Democratic opponent of 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....
, but he did not seek the state's highest constitutional office.