Butch Gautreaux
Encyclopedia
Dudley Anthony Gautreaux, known as Butch Gautreaux (born December 21, 1947), is a departing Democratic
member of the Louisiana State Senate
from Morgan City
, Louisiana
. Since 2000, he has represented Senate District 21. In 2012, the reconfigured district will include mostly Republican
portions of Iberia
, Lafourche
, St. Mary
, and Lafourche
parishes.
Gautreaux won his last election to the Senate in 2007, when he defeated the Republican Clayton D. Diaz, 25,348 (71 percent) to 10,372 (29 percent). At that time the district also included two precincts in St. Martin Parish
, since removed from the reconfiguration.
From 1996 to 2000, Gautreaux was a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
from District 51 but vacated the post after the single term to run for the Senate. In the 1995 general election, Gautreaux defeated the Democrat-turned-Republican Joe Harrison
, 8,457 votes (69 percent) to 3,809 ballots (31 percent).Harrison was subsequently elected in 2007 to House District 51 and still holds the seat.
in Thibodaux
, Louisiana. He served from 1967 to 1972 in the United States Navy
. He is active in Rotary International
, having been secretary of the Morgan City chapter. Gautreaux has served as vice president of marketing for Marsianin Industrial Contractors LLC
in Morgan City and administrator for Arabie Trucking Services LLC in Thibodaux.
ship of Louisiana in a 2010 special election
occasioned by the resignation of incumbent Mitch Landrieu
when Landrieu became mayor of New Orleans. In a field of eight candidates Gautreaux, who had the official endorsement of the Louisiana AFL-CIO
, polled 4 percent of the vote. He then endorsed fellow Democrat Caroline Fayard
in the runoff against the frontrunner, the Republican Jay Dardenne
, a former State Senate colleague of Gautreaux's.Dardenne won a full term as lieutenant governor in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 22, 2011.
Gautreaux was term-limited in the state Senate and ineligible to run in the October 22 primary. He will be succeeded by Republican R. L. "Bret" Allain, II, who received 14,618 votes (51.4 percent) in the contest with another Republican, Darrin Guidry, who polled 13,846 votes (48.6 percent). No Democrat sought Gautreaux's seat in the revised district.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
member of the Louisiana State Senate
Louisiana State Senate
The Louisiana State Senate is the upper house of the state legislature of Louisiana. All Senators serve four year terms and are assigned multiple committees to work on. The Republicans control the State Senate following a Special Election Victory in District 26 by Jonathan W. Perry...
from Morgan City
Morgan City, Louisiana
Morgan City is a city in St. Martin and St. Mary parishes in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population was 12,404 at the 2010 census....
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. Since 2000, he has represented Senate District 21. In 2012, the reconfigured district will include mostly Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
portions of Iberia
Iberia Parish, Louisiana
Iberia Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is New Iberia. As of 2000, the population was 73,266.Iberia Parish is part of the New Iberia Micropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Lafayette–Acadiana Combined Statistical Area.Iberia, along with...
, Lafourche
Lafourche Parish, Louisiana
Lafourche Parish is a parish located in the south of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It was originally the northern part of Lafourche Interior Parish, which consisted of the present parishes of Lafourche and Terrebonne. The parish seat is Thibodaux...
, St. Mary
St. Mary Parish, Louisiana
St. Mary Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Franklin. As of 2000, the population was 53,500.The Morgan City Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of St. Mary Parish.-Geography:...
, and Lafourche
Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana
Terrebonne Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Houma. Its population was 111,860...
parishes.
Gautreaux won his last election to the Senate in 2007, when he defeated the Republican Clayton D. Diaz, 25,348 (71 percent) to 10,372 (29 percent). At that time the district also included two precincts in St. Martin Parish
St. Martin Parish, Louisiana
St. Martin Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is St. Martinville. As of the 2000 census, the population was 48,583.St...
, since removed from the reconfiguration.
From 1996 to 2000, Gautreaux was a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
Louisiana House of Representatives
The Louisiana House of Representatives is the lower house in the Louisiana State Legislature, the state legislature of the US state of Louisiana. The House is composed of 105 Representatives, each of whom represents approximately 42,500 people . Members serve four-year terms with a term limit of...
from District 51 but vacated the post after the single term to run for the Senate. In the 1995 general election, Gautreaux defeated the Democrat-turned-Republican Joe Harrison
Joe Harrison (Louisiana politician)
Joseph Arthur Harrison, known as Joe Harrison is a financial planner from Napoleonville, Louisiana, who is a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 51 in Assumption, Lafourche, St...
, 8,457 votes (69 percent) to 3,809 ballots (31 percent).Harrison was subsequently elected in 2007 to House District 51 and still holds the seat.
Background
Gautreaux attended Nicholls State UniversityNicholls State University
Nicholls State University, founded in 1948, is a public university located in Thibodaux, Louisiana, USA. Nicholls is part of the University of Louisiana System of universities. Originally called Francis T. Nicholls Junior College, the institution split from the Louisiana State University System in...
in Thibodaux
Thibodaux, Louisiana
Thibodaux is a small city in and the parish seat of Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, United States, along the banks of Bayou Lafourche in the northwestern part of the parish. The population was 14,431 at the 2000 census. Thibodaux is a principal city of the Houma–Bayou Cane–Thibodaux...
, Louisiana. He served from 1967 to 1972 in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. He is active in Rotary International
Rotary International
Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...
, having been secretary of the Morgan City chapter. Gautreaux has served as vice president of marketing for Marsianin Industrial Contractors LLC
Limited liability company
A limited liability company is a flexible form of enterprise that blends elements of partnership and corporate structures. It is a legal form of company that provides limited liability to its owners in the vast majority of United States jurisdictions...
in Morgan City and administrator for Arabie Trucking Services LLC in Thibodaux.
Race for lieutenant governor
Gautreaux sought the lieutenant governorLieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
ship of Louisiana in a 2010 special election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
occasioned by the resignation of incumbent Mitch Landrieu
Mitch Landrieu
Mitchell Joseph "Mitch" Landrieu is the Mayor of New Orleans, former Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana, and a member of the Landrieu family. Landrieu is a member of the Democratic Party and a Roman Catholic. He is the son of former New Orleans mayor and Secretary of the United States Department of...
when Landrieu became mayor of New Orleans. In a field of eight candidates Gautreaux, who had the official endorsement of the Louisiana AFL-CIO
AFL-CIO
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL–CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 11 million workers...
, polled 4 percent of the vote. He then endorsed fellow Democrat Caroline Fayard
Caroline Fayard
Cathryn Caroline Fayard , daughter of Cynthia Felder Fayard and Calvin Clifford Fayard, Jr., of Springfield, Louisiana, is a Democrat who sought the office of lieutenant governor of Louisiana in the 2010 elections....
in the runoff against the frontrunner, the Republican Jay Dardenne
Jay Dardenne
John Leigh "Jay" Dardenne, Jr. , has been Louisiana's Republican lieutenant governor since November 22, 2010. He won a special election to the position held in conjunction with the regular November 2 general election. At the time, Dardenne was Louisiana secretary of state...
, a former State Senate colleague of Gautreaux's.Dardenne won a full term as lieutenant governor in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 22, 2011.
Gautreaux was term-limited in the state Senate and ineligible to run in the October 22 primary. He will be succeeded by Republican R. L. "Bret" Allain, II, who received 14,618 votes (51.4 percent) in the contest with another Republican, Darrin Guidry, who polled 13,846 votes (48.6 percent). No Democrat sought Gautreaux's seat in the revised district.