Hunt Downer
Encyclopedia
Major General
Huntington Blair Downer, Jr., known as Hunt Downer (born April 28, 1946), is a Republican
politician
in the U.S. state
of Louisiana
who is the assistant adjutant general
of the state National Guard and the first ever director of the new Louisiana Veterans Affairs Department.
A former Speaker
of the Louisiana House of Representatives
from Houma
, the seat of Terrebonne Parish
in south Louisiana, Downer ran for governor
in 2003 and finished in sixth place in the nonpartisan blanket primary.
in Houma in 1964 and first attended Louisiana State University
in Baton Rouge. He received his Bachelor of Science
degree from Nicholls State University
(then College) in Thibodaux
in Lafourche Parish. He was named to Who's Who Among Colleges and Universities in 1967. He received his law degree from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
in 1972. He did graduate work at LSU and studied at the U.S. Army War College
in 1999.
While he was in college and law school, Downer held a number of odd jobs: oilfield roustabout
from 1970–71, legislative assistant from 1970–72, and school bus driver from 1965-70.
as an enlisted man in 1968. He obtained a commission in 1971 as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He then joined the National Guard as a First Lieutenant of the Judge Advocate General Corps. In time, Downer became a Lieutenant Colonel
, Brigadier General
, and currently a Major General
. He served in Operation Desert Storm
from October 1990 to May 1991. Downer has won more than a dozen military awards, including the Legion of Merit and the Kuwait
Liberation Medal.
Foster removed Downer as Speaker and replaced him with another Democrat, Charles W. DeWitt of Rapides Parish
. Former legislator Ron Gomez
of Lafayette
said that Downer "did a terrific job [as Speaker] before being unceremoniously dumped by Governor Foster after the fall 1999 elections."
In 1987, Downer, as a Democrat, was named "Legislator of the Month" by the Louisiana Municipal Association. He was named "Outstanding Young Man of the Year" in 1977 by the Jaycees. He won the American Jurisprudence Award in 1971. During much of his legislative career through December 2003, Downer was affiliated with the law firm of Waitz & Downer in Houma.
In 2000, Downer endorsed the Republican presidential ticket of George W. Bush
and Richard B. Cheney. A year later, he formally switched parties, at Bush's invitation, and announced his candidacy for governor in 2003.
Three Republican gubernatorial candidates dropped out early and endorsed Downer: former Governor David C. Treen
of St. Tammany Parish, veteran state Senator Ken Hollis
of Jefferson Parish, and Louisiana Public Service Commission
er Jack A. "Jay" Blossman, Jr.
, of Mandeville
in St. Tammany Parish. However, the majority of Republican voters supported Bobby L. Jindal
, then of Baton Rouge (later a congressman from the New Orleans suburbs).
Downer secured the endorsement of thirty-three members of the state legislature from both parties and both chambers, including Republican Representatives Carl Crane
of Baton Rouge and Ernie Alexander
of Lafayette
as well as the Democrat Francis C. Thompson
of Delhi
in Richland Parish in northeast Louisiana. Yet, Downer received only 84,718 votes (6 percent) in the primary, compared to 444,389 ballots (33 percent) for Jindal. In turn, Jindal was defeated by the leading Democrat Kathleen Babineaux Blanco of Lafayette in the general election
. Soon after her election, Blanco appointed Downer as Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs, and later as her legislative director in the Office of the Governor.
Downer is a member of the Chamber of Commerce
, the Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, and the United States Court of Military Appeals. He is married to the former Linda Faye Lee. In 2007, Downer was inducted into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame
in Winnfield
.
in a bid for the United States Senate
. In January 2010, Downer told his hometown paper, The Courier
, that he was "99.9 percent" sure that he would run. He lost a party runoff on October 2, 2010, to newcomer Jeff Landry
, who had the support of the Tea Party movement
.
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Huntington Blair Downer, Jr., known as Hunt Downer (born April 28, 1946), is a 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...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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...
who is the assistant adjutant general
Adjutant general
An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
of the state National Guard and the first ever director of the new Louisiana Veterans Affairs Department.
A former Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
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 Houma
Houma, Louisiana
Houma is a city in and the parish seat of Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, and the largest principal city of the Houma–Bayou Cane–Thibodaux Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's powers of government have been absorbed by the parish, which is now run by the Terrebonne Parish...
, the seat of Terrebonne Parish
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...
in south Louisiana, Downer ran for governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
in 2003 and finished in sixth place in the nonpartisan blanket primary.
Early years
Downer graduated from Terrebonne High SchoolTerrebonne High School
Terrebonne High School is a secondary school in Houma, Louisiana, United States.It is a part of the Terrebonne Parish School District.It has been in existence since 1908, and houses grades 10-12; freshmen attend Houma Junior High School. It is the second oldest accredited high school in the state...
in Houma in 1964 and first attended Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
in Baton Rouge. He received his Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree from Nicholls State University
Nicholls 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...
(then College) 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...
in Lafourche Parish. He was named to Who's Who Among Colleges and Universities in 1967. He received his law degree from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Loyola University New Orleans College of Law is a private law school in New Orleans, Louisiana affiliated with Loyola University New Orleans. Loyola's law school opened in 1914 and is now located on the Broadway Campus of the University in the historic Audubon Park District of the city. The College...
in 1972. He did graduate work at LSU and studied at the U.S. Army War College
U.S. Army War College
The United States Army War College is a United States Army school located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on the 500 acre campus of the historic Carlisle Barracks...
in 1999.
While he was in college and law school, Downer held a number of odd jobs: oilfield roustabout
Roustabout
A roustabout is a labourer typically performing temporary, unskilled work. The term has traditionally been used to refer to traveling-circus workers, natural gas, or oil rig workers....
from 1970–71, legislative assistant from 1970–72, and school bus driver from 1965-70.
Army career
Downer joined the United States Army ReserveUnited States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
as an enlisted man in 1968. He obtained a commission in 1971 as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He then joined the National Guard as a First Lieutenant of the Judge Advocate General Corps. In time, Downer became a Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
, Brigadier General
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
, and currently a Major General
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
. He served in Operation Desert Storm
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
from October 1990 to May 1991. Downer has won more than a dozen military awards, including the Legion of Merit and the Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
Liberation Medal.
State House of Representatives
Downer was first elected as a Democrat to the state House in the first ever onpartisan blanket primary in the fall of 1975. He represented District 52 (Lafourche and his native Terrebonne parishes) from 1976 until January 2004. In his penultimate term, 1996–2000, he was Speaker during the administration of Republican Governor Murphy J. "Mike" Foster, Jr.Murphy J. Foster, Jr.
Murphy James "Mike" Foster, Jr. served as 53rd Governor of Louisiana from January 1996 until January 2004. Foster's father was Murphy J. Foster, Jr., but Mike Foster uses "Jr." even though he is technically Murphy J. Foster, III. Foster is a businessman, landowner, and sportsman in St...
Foster removed Downer as Speaker and replaced him with another Democrat, Charles W. DeWitt of Rapides Parish
Rapides Parish, Louisiana
-Military Installations:*Camp Beauregard *Esler Airfield *England Air Force Base *Camp Claiborne *Camp Livingston -Demographics:...
. Former legislator Ron Gomez
Ron Gomez
Ronald James Gomez, Sr., known as Ron Gomez , is a veteran print and broadcast journalist, author , and businessman from Lafayette, Louisiana, who served in the Louisiana House of Representatives from Lafayette Parish, from 1980-1989. From 1990-1992, he was the secretary of natural resources in...
of Lafayette
Lafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...
said that Downer "did a terrific job [as Speaker] before being unceremoniously dumped by Governor Foster after the fall 1999 elections."
In 1987, Downer, as a Democrat, was named "Legislator of the Month" by the Louisiana Municipal Association. He was named "Outstanding Young Man of the Year" in 1977 by the Jaycees. He won the American Jurisprudence Award in 1971. During much of his legislative career through December 2003, Downer was affiliated with the law firm of Waitz & Downer in Houma.
In 2000, Downer endorsed the Republican presidential ticket of George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and Richard B. Cheney. A year later, he formally switched parties, at Bush's invitation, and announced his candidacy for governor in 2003.
Three Republican gubernatorial candidates dropped out early and endorsed Downer: former Governor David C. Treen
David C. Treen
David Conner "Dave" Treen, Sr. , was an American attorney and politician from Mandeville, St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana – the first Republican Governor of the U.S. state of Louisiana since Reconstruction. He was the first Republican in modern times to have served in the U.S...
of St. Tammany Parish, veteran state Senator Ken Hollis
Ken Hollis
Jesse Kendrick Hollis, Jr., known as Ken Hollis , was a Republican Party member of the Louisiana State Senate from Metairie in Jefferson Parish in the New Orleans suburbs...
of Jefferson Parish, and Louisiana Public Service Commission
Louisiana Public Service Commission
Louisiana Public Service Commission is an independent regulatory agency which manages public utilities and motor carriers in Louisiana. The commission has five elected members chosen in single-member districts for staggered six-year terms...
er Jack A. "Jay" Blossman, Jr.
Jay Blossman
Jack Arthur Blossman, Jr., known as Jay Blossman , is a Mandeville, Louisiana, attorney who is a former Republican member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission. Blossman was named PSC chairman by his colleagues early in 2007....
, of Mandeville
Mandeville, Louisiana
Mandeville is a city in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 12,421 in 2008. Mandeville is located on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain, south of Interstate 12. It is across the lake from the city of New Orleans and its southshore suburbs...
in St. Tammany Parish. However, the majority of Republican voters supported Bobby L. Jindal
Bobby Jindal
Piyush "Bobby" Jindal is the 55th and current Governor of Louisiana and formerly a member of the United States House of Representatives. He is a member of the Republican Party....
, then of Baton Rouge (later a congressman from the New Orleans suburbs).
Downer secured the endorsement of thirty-three members of the state legislature from both parties and both chambers, including Republican Representatives Carl Crane
Carl Crane
Carl Norman Crane is the former Republican chairman of the Education Committee of the Louisiana House of Representatives. He served in the state House from 1984 to 2008 from District 70 in East Baton Rouge Parish...
of Baton Rouge and Ernie Alexander
Ernie Alexander
Ernest Joseph "Ernie" Alexander is a former Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Lafayette Parish, having served in District 43 from 2000 to 2008. Prior to his legislative tenure, Alexander served a four-year term on the newly-established Lafayette City-Parish Council...
of Lafayette
Lafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...
as well as the Democrat Francis C. Thompson
Francis C. Thompson
Francis Coleman Thompson is a wealthy developer from Delhi in Richland Parish, Louisiana, U.S., where he served as a senior Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives. He served continuously from 1975 until 2007...
of Delhi
Delhi, Louisiana
Delhi, originally called Deerfield, is a town in Richland Parish, Louisiana, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 3,066.-History:...
in Richland Parish in northeast Louisiana. Yet, Downer received only 84,718 votes (6 percent) in the primary, compared to 444,389 ballots (33 percent) for Jindal. In turn, Jindal was defeated by the leading Democrat Kathleen Babineaux Blanco of Lafayette in the general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
. Soon after her election, Blanco appointed Downer as Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs, and later as her legislative director in the Office of the Governor.
Downer is a member of the Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
, the Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, and the United States Court of Military Appeals. He is married to the former Linda Faye Lee. In 2007, Downer was inducted into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame
Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame
The Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield, Louisiana, highlights the careers of more than a hundred of the state’s leading politicians and political journalists. Because three governors, Huey P. Long, Jr., Oscar K...
in Winnfield
Winnfield, Louisiana
Winnfield is a city in and the parish seat of Winn Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 5,749 at the 2000 census. It has long been associated with the Long faction of the Louisiana Democratic Party and was home to three governors of Louisiana.-Geography:Winnfield is located at ...
.
2010 U.S. Congressional race
Downer was a candidate for , being vacated by Democrat Charlie MelanconCharlie Melancon
Charles Joseph "Charlie" Melancon was the U.S. Representative for , serving from 2005 to 2011, and the unsuccessful 2010 Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican David Vitter.-Early life, education and career:...
in a bid for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. In January 2010, Downer told his hometown paper, The Courier
The Courier (Houma, Louisiana)
The Houma Courier is a newspaper published daily in Houma, Louisiana, United States, covering Terrebonne Parish. It is a part of the New York Times Regional Newspaper Group. It is sometimes simply referred to as "The Courier". The paper is published by Miles Forrest and the paper's Executive...
, that he was "99.9 percent" sure that he would run. He lost a party runoff on October 2, 2010, to newcomer Jeff Landry
Jeff Landry
Jeffrey Martin "Jeff" Landry is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party and the Tea Party Caucus.-Early life, education, and military service:...
, who had the support of the Tea Party movement
Tea Party movement
The Tea Party movement is an American populist political movement that is generally recognized as conservative and libertarian, and has sponsored protests and supported political candidates since 2009...
.
External links
- Campaign contributions at the National Institute for Money in State Politics for his gubernatorial campaign
- Campaign contributions from Open SecretsOpen SecretsOpen Secrets is a book of short stories by Alice Munro published by McClelland and Stewart in 1994. It was nominated for the 1994 Governor General's Award for English Fiction.-Stories:* "Carried Away"* "A Real Life"...
for his U.S. congressional campaign - Officeholders
- Army National Guard
- Governing periodical
- Louisiana Weekly
- Access My Library
- Bobby Jindal U.S. House page
- Best of New Orleans
- Veterans Administration