- Jimmy D. Long
Jimmy Dale Long, Sr. (born
October 6 ,1931 ), is the current chairman of theUniversity of Louisiana System board of supervisors and a former Democratic member of theLouisiana House of Representatives . He represented District 23 (Winn and Natchitoches parishes) from 1968 until 2000, being the "dean" of the Louisiana House when he returned to private life. He is a recognized authority on educational policy. For sixteen years, he chaired the House Education Committee. The "Shreveport Times " named Long "One of the 100 Most Influential People of the 20th Century inNorth Louisiana ." He is a member of the Long politicaldynasty .Defeat in 1999
Long was surprisingly defeated for a ninth term in the House in the 1999
jungle primary by his fellow Democrat,Thomas Taylor Townsend , who is anephew of former Democratic State SenatorDonald G. Kelly of Natchitoches. He received 7,447 votes (49 percent) to Townsend's 7,643 (51 percent). The defeat was stunning in that Long had been unopposed in 1995 though he had faced competition in 1991. Long was among the last members of his political family to have held public office in Louisiana. Taylor Townsend in turn was reelected in 2003. Two years after his defeat, Long was appointed by RepublicanGovernor Murphy J. "Mike" Foster, Jr., to the University of Louisiana board. The board members themselves named him chairman.Early years, family, occupation
Long was born in
Winnfield , the seat of Winn Parish, to Ruben Ray Long (1900-1966) and the former Ruby Smith (1906-1984). He was the third of eight sons. His paternal grandparents were Thomas Jefferson Long (1861-1948) and the former Mary Ella Wright (1864-1902).Gillis William Long (1923-1985), a formerU.S. representative from the defunct Eighth Congressional District, was also a paternal grandson of Thomas Jefferson Long and hence Jimmy Long's thirdcousin .Long attended public schools and graduated from Winnfield High School. One of his classmates was his distant cousin
Floyd W. Smith, Jr. (born 1932), whose mother was a Long. Smith would enter local politics and became the mayor of Pineville in northernRapides Parish in 1966.After high school, Long enrolled at
Northwestern State University (at the time "State College") in Natchitoches, where he majored ingovernment . He served in theUnited States Navy from 1948-1955. He made his living as agrocery store owner and acattle farmer . He is married to the former Dorothy Griffin (born 1934). Their son, Jimmy D. Long, Jr. (born 1963), is anattorney in Natchitoches, who specializes inestate planning .Point man on education
In the legislature, Long developed a close working relationship with state Senator
Cecil J. Picard ofVermilion Parish in southwestern Louisiana, who was then the chairman of the Senate Education Committee. In 1996, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education appointed Picard as the state education superintendent. Long was called upon to deliver aeulogy at Picard's funeral in 2007.As the chairman of the House Education Committee, Long also worked with then NSU President
Robert A. Alost to establish theLouisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts and the Louisiana Scholars' College, the state's designated honors college in thearts andsciences . Long also assisted NSU in the development of innovative programs and was instrumental in the appropriation of funding for the institution.Long is a former member of the
Southern Regional Education Board and served as Louisiana's delegate to theEducation Commission of the States .During his legislative tenure, Long was cited by the Louisiana press corps as being among the "most effective" of all legislators. He has been a member of the board of directors of the NSU Foundation, and he has received honorary memberships in the Blue Key International Honor Society and Graduate 'N' Club. Long was inducted into the NSU Hall of Distinction.
In 2003, Long was among the inductees into the NSU Hall of Distinguished Educators, being given the "Friend of Education" honor. In 2004, Long and the former State Senator
Leopold Caspari (died 1915) of Natchitoches were selected as corecipients of the President's Distinguished Service Award from NSU. University President Dr.Randall J. Webb said that he was "honored to recognize both of these exceptional men. Each of them played a significant role in the growth and development of Northwestern State University. [They] understood the importance of education to the state of Louisiana. They also set an example by giving of themselves through public service."Long's fellow honoree Caspari, termed "the father of the Normal," was instrumental in the founding of the
teacher 's college which became NSU and the placement of the school in Natchitoches. A native ofFrance , he immigrated to theUnited States in 1848 and settled in Cloutierville in south Natchitoches Parish. A farmer and businessman, he moved to Natchitoches in 1858. Caspari, who served for some three decades in both the Louisiana House and Senate, is honored by the naming of Caspari Hall and Caspari Street on the NSU campus.Jimmy and Dorothy Long reside in Natchitoches. He is
Baptist . In 2004, Long contributed to Democratic U.S. Senate candidateJohn N. Kennedy , the Louisiana state treasurer, who has since switched to Republican affiliation in anticipation of a possible second Senate race n 2008.A Republican Long
Gerald Long , a younger brother of Jimmy Long, was elected as a Republican to theLouisiana State Senate (District 31) in theOctober 20 , 2007, jungle primary. Long defeated Democrat Taylor Townsend, who had ended his brother's House career eight years earlier. The Louisiana Prolife Alliance endorsed Gerald Long in the race. Prolife spokesmanDan Richey , himself a former state senator, said the group opposed Townsend because of his past support ofhuman cloning . Gerald Long is one of the few members of the legendary Long family to have made the plunge from Democrat to Republican affiliation. He is also the first Republican to represent traditionally Democratic Natchitoches Parish in the legislature since Reconstruction.Republican Rickey L. "Rick" Nowlin of Natchitoches defeated former Natchitoches
Mayor Joseph Michael "Joe" Sampite (pronounced SAM PEH TAY), a Democrat, in theNovember 17 , 2007,general election for the historically Democratic District 23 House seat vacated by Taylor Townsend and formerly held by Jimmy Long. Nowlin overpowered Sampite, 4,609 (55 percent) to 3,766 (45 percent) in a low-turnout election. In the primary Nowlin had also led Sampite, 4,849 (35 percent) to 4,598 (33 percent).The 2007 legislative elections marked the first time in modern history that Natchitoches would be represented by Republicans in both chambers of the state legislature.
References
http://www.enlou.com/officeholders/housedistrict23.htm
http://www.jimmylong.com/index.cfm
http://www.nsula.edu/news/distin01.htm
http://www.natchitochesartguild.org/miller.htm
http://www.mcneese.edu/catalog/0203/board_regents.htm
http://www.nsula.edu/nsufoundation/PCMembers.htm
http://216.109.125.130/search/cache?p=jimmy+d.+long+of+natchitoches+genealogy&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-501&x=wrt&u=www.libertychapelcemetery.org/files/family/long02.html&w=jimmy+d+long+natchitoches+genealogy&d=XbIjkOxsOMgC&icp=1&.intl=us
http://www.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcms3&rqsdta=102399
http://www400.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcms3&rqsdta=102007
http://www.nsula.edu/news/hdeduc09.htm
Louisiana Pro-Life Alliance, 721 Government Street, Suite 103-120, Baton Rouge, LA 70802:www.TenLeastWanted.com
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