- Joel Chaisson
Infobox State Senator
imagesize = 150px
name= Joel Thomas Chaisson, II
caption=Joel Chaisson
office=Louisiana State Senate (District 19ndash St. Charles Parish)
term_start=2000
term_end=
preceded=Ron Landry
succeeded=Incumbent
office2=President of the Louisiana State Senate
term_start2=January 14 ,2008
term_end2=
preceded2=Don Hines of Bunkie inAvoyelles Parish
succeeded2=Incumbent
office3= Louisiana State Representative (District 56ndash St. Charles Parish)
term_start3=1992
term_end3=2000
preceded3=Ralph A. Miller
succeeded3=Gary L. Smith, Jr.
birth_date= 1960
birth_place=
death_date=
spouse= Sandra Stage Chaisson
children= One daughter, Martine Chaisson
party= Democratic
religion=Roman Catholic
occupation=Attorney ;politician Joel Thomas Chaisson, II (born 1960), is an American Democratic
politician who is currently the president of the Louisiana State Senate, having assumed the leadership position onJanuary 14 ,2008 . A resident of Destrehan, Chaisson has represented Senate District 19 (St. Charles Parish ) since 2000. Previously, he served from 1992-2000 in the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 56.Chaisson succeeds the term-limited Senate President
Don Hines , a Democrat from Bunkie inAvoyelles Parish in south central Louisiana. He was designated for the Senate presidency byGovernor Bobby Jindal , a Republican.cite news|accessdate=2008-01-16
url=http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/11232106.html?c=y&photoID=5240686&caption=State+Sen.+Joel+Chaisson+II%2C+D-Destrehan%2C+left%2C+is+introduced+Monday+by+Gov.-elect+Bobby+Jindal+as+the+choice+for+Senate+president.+%0D%0A%0D%0A&credit=The+Advocate&author=Bill+Feig
author=Feig, Bill
title=Joel Chaisson
date=November 13 ,2007
work=The Advocate] In Louisiana, the state House Speaker and Senate President are normally recommended by the governor even if the governor's party lacks a majority in the respective chamber. Chaisson heads a Democratic Senatemajority of twenty-three to sixteen, but he indicated that he will seek "bipartisanship" in a bid to work with the governor and the Republican lawmakers.cite news|accessdate=2008-01-16
url=http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/12051551.html?showAll=y&c=y
title=Chaisson’s political career one of beating long odds
author=Sentell, Will
work=Baton Rouge Morning Advocate
date=December 3 ,2007
page=Page 1A] A Republican senator,Michael J. Michot of Lafayette, had sought the Senate presidency, but Jindal deferred to the Democratic majority as Chaisson promised cooperation.cite web|accessdate=2008-01-16
url=http://www.bayoubuzz.com/News/Louisiana/Government/Louisiana_Jindal_The_Louisiana_Political_Pragmatist__5138.asp
title=Louisiana Jindal, The Louisiana Political Pragmatist
author=Sabludowsky, Stephen
publisher=BayouBuzz.com]Political career
Chaisson graduated in 1980 from the
University of New Orleans . In 1983, he procured hisJuris Doctor law degree fromLouisiana State University inBaton Rouge . That same year, his political career began, when at the age of twenty-three, he was elected to a term on the St. Charles Parish Council, a combination city-county position. St. Charles Parish is located within theNew Orleans suburb s. Its parish seat is Hahnville.cite news|accessdate=2008-01-16
url=http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/12051551.html?showAll=y&c=y
title=Chaisson’s political career one of beating long odds
author=Sentell, Will
work=Baton Rouge Morning Advocate
date=December 3 ,2007
page=Page 1A]In the
jungle primary held onOctober 23 ,1999 , Chaisson unseated fellow Democrat Ron Landry in the Senate racendash 20,906 (53 percent) to 18,778 (47 percent). Chaisson was thereafter unopposed in the senatorial primaries of 2003 and 2007.cite web|accessdate=2008-01-16
url=http://www400.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcms3&rqsdta=102399
publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State
title=Official Election Results: Results for Election Date: 10/23/99]Chaisson was initially elected to the Louisiana House in 1991. In the primary on
October 19 , he trailed the Democraticincumbent , Ralph R. Miller, 7,104 (46 percent) to 6,570 (43 percent). The remaining 1,780 votes (12 percent) went to Emile J. Garlepied, another Democrat. In theNovember 16 general election , Chaisson unseated Miller, 9,023 (51 percent) to 8,604 (49 percent).cite web|accessdate=2008-01-16
url=http://www400.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcpr&rqsdta=11169145
publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State
title=Official Parish Election Results: Results for Election Date: 11/16/91, Parish of St. Charles]In 1995, Chaisson won his second term in the state House when he defeated Republican Robert "Bobby" Riggs, 9,759 (63 percent) to 5,736 (37 percent) in the primary.cite web|accessdate=2008-01-16
url=http://www400.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcpr&rqsdta=10219545
publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State
title=Official Parish Election Results: Results for Election Date: 10/21/95, Parish of St. Charles]Chaisson is
Roman Catholic and a member of the men'sKnights of Columbus order. He is also active in theLions Club . He and his wife, the former Sandra Stage (born 1951), have a daughter, Martine. Chaisson lists his hobbies asreal estate development and deep-seafishing .cite web|accessdate=2008-01-16
url=http://senate.legis.state.la.us/Chaisson/biography.asp
title=Senator Joel T. Chaisson - District 19
publisher=Louisiana State Senate]Will Sentell of the "Baton Rouge Morning Advocate" Capitol News Bureau wrote in 2007 that Chaisson's career is "one of beating long odds."cite news|accessdate=2008-01-16
url=http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/12051551.html?showAll=y&c=y
title=Chaisson’s political career one of beating long odds
author=Sentell, Will
work=Baton Rouge Morning Advocate
date=December 3 ,2007
page=1A] Chaisson has the support of the powerfulinterest group , the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry. However, he is not a firm ally of social conservatives in the legislature.Chaisson's leadership counterpart in the Louisiana House is Speaker Jim Tucker of Terrytown, also in the New Orleans suburbs.
References
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