- Carl Crane
Carl Norman Crane (born
October 28 ,1939 ) is the departing Republican chairman of theEducation Committee of the Louisiana House of Representatives. He has served in the state House since 1984 from District 70 inEast Baton Rouge Parish . Crane was elected as a Democrat to his first term in the House but switched to GOP affiliation to win his second term in 1987.A
computer consultant by profession, Crane obtained abachelor of arts degree from theUniversity of New Orleans and a Master of Arts fromLouisiana State University inBaton Rouge . He is a veteran of theUnited States Army . He is married to the former Nancy Burns and isRoman Catholic .Crane has supported
school vouchers to assist families with children in private or parochial schools, but the legislature has rejected the plan on the grounds that it would deprive funding from already cash-strapped public schools.Crane secured his second term in 1987 with 9,048 votes (54 percent) over three opponents, two Democrats and one "No Party" candidate.
In 1991, Crane led the
jungle primary with 5,488 votes (39 percent) and went into a contestedgeneral election with Democrat Margaret Pereboom, who trailed with 4,366 ballots (31 percent). A third candidate, fellow Republican Steve Myers, received 4,135 votes (30 percent). Pereboom had also run in 1987. In the second balloting, Crane defeated Pereboom, 8,946 (57 percent) to 6,789 (43 percent).In 1995, Crane won again over Steve Myers, who had dropped the "R" label and ran as "No Party". He prevailed with 8,182 votes (55 percent) to Myers' 6,666 (45 percent). In 1999, Crane won in the primary over Democrat Charles Moore, 8,897 (62 percent) to 5,453 (38 percent).
In 2003, Crane won his sixth and final term with 10,319 votes (74 percent) over two fellow Republicans, Bryce Murray, who received 2,294 votes (16 percent) and Donald Gene Luther, with 1,388 ballots (10 percent). Also, in 2003, Crane was among thirty-three legislators in both houses and parties who endorsed former House Speaker
Hunt Downer forgovernor . Downer, however, ran a weak sixth in the primary election. The governorship ultimately went to the DemocratKathleen Babineaux Blanco .Crane will be succeeded by fellow Republican
Franklin J. Foil (bornOctober 31 ,1964 ), the winner of theNovember 17 ,2007 , general election. Foil defeated a fellow Republican attorney, Pat Culbertson, 5,399 (53 percent) to 4,809 (47 percent) in a small-turnout election. Culberton had nearly won the seat outright in theOctober 20 primary, with 49 percent to 40 percent for Foil, also a naval reserve commander. A third Republican candidate, self-styled "Reaganconservative " Aidan Reynolds, also an attorney, drew only 11 percent of the vote.ee also
References
http://capwiz.com/pfaw/bio/?id=3900
http://www.cnn.com/2003/EDUCATION/05/13/louisiana.vouchers.ap/
http://www.businessreport.com/archives/daily-report/2007/jun/26/180/
http://www400.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcpr&rqsdta=10248717
http://www400.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcpr&rqsdta=10199117
http://www400.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcpr&rqsdta=11169117
http://www400.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcpr&rqsdta=10239917
http://www400.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcpr&rqsdta=10040317
http://www400.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcpr&rqsdta=10200717
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.