Michael Thompson (Louisiana politician)

Michael Francis "Mike" Thompson
Louisiana State Representative from Lafayette Parish (District 43)
In office 1972–1988
Preceded by	Three members: O.C. "Dan" Guillot Frederic G. Hayes J. Luke LeBlanc
Succeeded by	Odon L. "Don" Bacque, Jr.
Personal details
Born	1942
Political party	Democratic-turned-Republican
Residence	Lafayette, Louisiana, U.S.
Alma mater	Tulane University
Occupation	Home builder
Religion	Roman Catholic

Michael Francis "Mike" Thompson (born 1942) is a home builder from Lafayette, Louisiana, who served in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1972-88. Thompson was a Democrat for his first six years of service, but he switched to the Republican Party for the balance of his tenure. He was defeated for reelection in the 1987 general election by a "No Party" candidate, who served only one term. Thompson is particularly remembered for his strong support of the right-to-life cause. A Roman Catholic, he graduated from Tulane University Law School.

Supporting conservative causes

In 1976, as he entered his second term in the legislature, Thompson and several conservative colleagues, including Daniel Wesley "Dan" Richey of Ferriday, Louisiana, cast critical votes in the House Civil Law Committee against the proposed Equal Rights Amendment, which lost 5-9 in the panel and was therefore not referred to the full House for an up-or-down vote. Thompson's right-to-life supporters organized against the ERA on the premise that if implemented it would have federalized family law. Therefore, they convinced the lawmaker to reverse his previously stated support for the ERA. Lafayette has been a center of antiabortion activism since the U.S. Supreme Court issued the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, which legalized access to abortion.^{[citation needed]}

Certain Lafayette physicians signed a statement declaring that life begins before birth and vowed not to perform abortions, which remain rare in Acadiana, a term referring to French cultural Louisiana. The doctors said that, despite Roe, "we feel compelled to continue to practice our profession in accordance with our moral beliefs, central to which is the preservation of life". In 2006, the Desormeaux Foundation, which funds a Lafayette crisis pregnancy center, honored three physicians at the forefront of the antiabortion movement, as well as former Lafayette Republican Mayor William Dudley "Dud" Lastrapes, Jr., and Thompson.^{[citation needed]}

Unseated in the 1987 general election

From 1980-88, Thompson was a colleague of Ron Gomez, a Lafayette Democrat in neighboring District 44 who ultimately switched parties but only after leaving the legislature. In his memoirs entitled My Name Is Ron And I'm a Recovering Legislator, Gomez describes Thompson as his seat-mate, friend, and "chief mentor" who worked to get Gomez appointed to the Commerce and Ways and Means committees.^[1] In 1979, when Gomez won his first term in the House, Thompson prevailed by just over 800 against Democrat Mike Leblanc.^[2]

In his last election, Thompson, the District 43 representative, was challenged by the independent Don Bacque (born November 30, 1944) and the Democrat, Vana Lanier. Thompson led in the October 24 primary with 7,345 votes (45%) to Bacqaue's 6,473 (40%) and Lanier's 2,377 (15%). In the November 21 general election, the Lanier backers swung strongly to Bacque, who prevailed, 6,811 (57%) to Thompson's 5,106 ballots (43%). Thompson's defeat was also attributed to the failure of some 2,200 Republican voters who participated in the primary to return to the polls for the second round of balloting. The successful Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, Paul J. Hardy, won in Lafayette Parish over the Democratic incumbent Robert Louis "Bobby" Freeman at the same time that Thompson was going down to defeat.^{[citation needed]}

Mike Thompson Homes

Thompson and his second wife, the former Cheryl Frey (born October 10, 1947), work together in their home construction business. They have built more than 300 homes throughout Acadiana, mostly in the French country and traditional Louisiana styles. He is a past president of the Acadian Home Builders Association and was designated "Builder of the Year" in 1997. He is the treasurer and member of the board of directors of the Louisiana Home Builders Association.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. ^ Ron Gomez, My Name Is Ron And I'm a Recovering Legislator: Memoirs of a Louisiana State Representative, Lafayette, Louisiana: Zemog Publishing, 2000, pgs. 69, 80l ISBN 0-9700156-0-7
2. ^ Gomez, Recovering Legislator, pg. 37

External links

• http://www.theind.com/letters2.asp?CID=512710109
• http://www.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcpr&rqsdta=10248728
• http://www.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcpr&rqsdta=11218728

Political offices
Preceded by At-large members O.C. "Dan" Guillot Frederic G. Hayes Jerry Luke LeBlanc	Louisiana State Representative from District 43 (Lafayette Parish) Michael Francis "Mike" Thompson 1972–1988	Succeeded by Odon L. "Don" Bacque, Jr.

Persondata
Name	Thompson, Michael Francis
Alternative names	Thompson, Mike
Short description	American politician, businessman, pro-life activist
Date of birth	1942
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death