Taylor Barras
Taylor Francis Barras | |
|---|---|
| Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives | |
| Assumed office January 11, 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Chuck Kleckley |
| Louisiana State Representative for District 48 (Iberia Parish) | |
| Assumed office January 14, 2008 | |
| Preceded by | Errol Romero |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 1957 New Iberia, Iberia Parish Louisiana, USA |
| Political party | Democrat-turned-Republican |
| Spouse | Cheryl Lopez Barras |
| Residence(s) | New Iberia, Louisiana |
| Alma mater | New Iberia Senior High School Louisiana State University |
| Occupation | Accountant; banker |
Taylor Francis Barras (born January 1957) is an accountant and banker from New Iberia, Louisiana, who is a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 48, based in Iberia Parish. On January 11, 2016, as he began his third term in the chamber, Barras was elected House Speaker by his colleagues, who in what was considered a political upset on the second ballot rejected Representative Walt Leger, III, of New Orleans, the choice of incoming Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards. Since the days of Huey Pierce Long, Jr., legislators had confirmed the governor's choice for Speaker, but the Republican House majority instead elected Barras, the governor's wishes to the contrary.[1]
Political biography
A New Iberia native, Barras (pronounced BAR UH) graduated in 1975 from New Iberia Senior High School, an entity of the Iberia Parish School System. In 1975, he received a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. He is market president of Iberia Bank. His wife is the former Cheryl Lopez.[2]
Elected in 2007 in his first political bid, as a Democrat, Barras and Shane Romero led a four-candidate primary field to enter the November 17 general election. Barras received 5,436 votes (45.3 percent) to Romero's 3,191 (26.6 percent). The two other Democrats in contention, David N. Broussard and Raymond Lewis, shared the remaining but critical 28.5 percent of the vote.[3] Barras then defeated Romero, 6,690 (62 percent) to 4,091 (38 percent)[4]
In 2011, Barras became one of several members to switch to GOP affiliation. As a result of several special elections since 2010 and the party defections, Republicans gained a majority of the state House for the first time since Reconstruction. Barras is a candidate for a second term in the nonpartisan blanket primary set for October 22, 2011.[5]
In his first term, Barras served on these committees: (1) House and Governmental Affairs, (2) Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs, (3) Ways and Means, and (4) Joint Legislative Committee on Capital Outlay.[6]
In 2010, Representative Barras was rated 100 percent by the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, 82 percent by the Louisiana National Federation of Independent Business, and 89 percent by the Louisiana Family Forum. In 2011, Barras voted, unsuccessfully, to override then Governor Bobby Jindal's veto of an increase in his state's cigarette tax. He also voted to ban hand-held cellular devices while driving. He voted against a 2011 proposal to establish a commission to study how to end state corporate and personal income taxes over the next decade.[7]
References
- ^ The Moon Griffon Show, January 11, 2016
- ^ "Rep. Barras, Taylor F." mobilelgs.com. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
- ^ "Louisiana primary election returns, October 20, 2007". staticresults.sos.la.gov. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
- ^ "Louisiana general election returns, November 17, 2007". staticresults.sos.la.gov. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
- ^ "Rep. Barras joins GOP". Baton Rouge Morning Advocate. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Rep. Taylor F. Barras: Republican District 48". house.louisiana.gov. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
- ^ "Taylor F. Barras". votesmart.org. Retrieved August 26, 2011.