Conrad Appel
Encyclopedia
Conrad Henry Appel, III is a Metairie
, Louisiana
, businessman who since 2008 has been a Republican
member of the Louisiana State Senate
from District 9 in suburban Jefferson Parish
. Appel won a special election to succeed short-term Senator Steve Scalise
, after Scalise was instead elected to the United States House of Representatives
following the accession of U.S. Representative Bobby Jindal
to the Louisiana governorship.
A New Orleans
native, Appel graduated in 1969 from the college preparatory Isidore Newman School
. In 1973, he received a Bachelor of Science
degree in electrical engineering from Louisiana State University
in Baton Rouge
. Appel is the president of ConstructionSouth, Inc., of Metairie, which specializes in industrial and commercial general construction. He is also a licensed real estate broker and president of the firm Trinity Company.
As a first-time candidate Appel defeated fellow Republican Polly Thomas, a professor at the University of New Orleans
, in a special election held at the time of the November 4, 2008, national general election
. Thomas' defeat for the Senate seat was her fourth election loss since 1999. Appel said that he was pleased to have Thomas as his opponent: "Polly and I have been friends for a long time, and this has been a hard race for me. I'm really proud of Polly." Thomas had also run against Scalise in 2007 and polled only 29 percent of the vote in the regular legislative election. Appel received 21,853 votes (52.1 percent) to Thomas's 20,065 votes (47.9 percent).
Appel vowed to emphasize economic development in post-Hurricane Katrina
period. He has been affiliated with the Jefferson Business Council and the New Orleans Dock Board. Upon his election, Appel said that he will not seek any other office than the Senate position.
Appel serves on these committees: (1) Commerce, Consumer Protection, and International Affairs, (2) Education, (3) Judiciary C as vice chairman, (4) Retirement.
In 2010, Appel supported the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
100 percent of the time. He backed the Louisiana Family Forum
90 percent of the time. In 2009, he was rated 100 percent by the Louisiana Right to Life
Federation. In 2011, Appel voted to make the state tobacco tax permanent, but the measure was vetoed by Governor Jindal. He also voted against an amendment to the Smoke-free Air Act that would have forbidden smoking in bars and restaurants.
In 2011, Appel filed a bill, with Jindal's support, to merge the University of New Orleans with the historically black Southern University at New Orleans
. Touted as a way to save funds earmarked for higher education, the measure nevertheless failed because of a lack of support in both houses of the legislature. Appel obtained passage of a bill to place the Schepis Museum in New Orleans into the state system. He also urged support for a state constitutional amendment to limit how public colleges can increase or implement student fees.
Appel and his wife, Carol Ann, have two children, Conrad Appel, IV, also known as Connor Appel, a student at St. Martin's Episcopal
School, and Whitney Caroline Appel.
Metairie, Louisiana
Metairie is a census-designated place in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States and is a major part of the New Orleans Metropolitan Area. Metairie is the largest community in Jefferson Parish. It is an unincorporated area that would be larger than most of the state's cities if it were...
, 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...
, businessman who since 2008 has been 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...
member of the Louisiana State Senate
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
from District 9 in suburban Jefferson Parish
Jefferson Parish, Louisiana
Jefferson Parish is a parish in Louisiana, United States that includes most of the suburbs of New Orleans. The seat of parish government is Gretna....
. Appel won a special election to succeed short-term Senator Steve Scalise
Steve Scalise
Stephen Joseph "Steve" Scalise is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2008. He is a member of the Republican Party...
, after Scalise was instead elected to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
following the accession of U.S. Representative Bobby 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....
to the Louisiana governorship.
A New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
native, Appel graduated in 1969 from the college preparatory Isidore Newman School
Isidore Newman School
Isidore Newman School is a private, nondenominational, co-educational college preparatory school located on an campus in the Uptown section of New Orleans, Louisiana.-History:...
. In 1973, he received a 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 in electrical engineering from 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
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
. Appel is the president of ConstructionSouth, Inc., of Metairie, which specializes in industrial and commercial general construction. He is also a licensed real estate broker and president of the firm Trinity Company.
As a first-time candidate Appel defeated fellow Republican Polly Thomas, a professor at the University of New Orleans
University of New Orleans
The University of New Orleans, often referred to locally as UNO, is a medium-sized public urban university located on the New Orleans Lakefront within New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It is a member of the LSU System and the Urban 13 association. Currently UNO is without a proper chancellor...
, in a special election held at the time of the November 4, 2008, national 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...
. Thomas' defeat for the Senate seat was her fourth election loss since 1999. Appel said that he was pleased to have Thomas as his opponent: "Polly and I have been friends for a long time, and this has been a hard race for me. I'm really proud of Polly." Thomas had also run against Scalise in 2007 and polled only 29 percent of the vote in the regular legislative election. Appel received 21,853 votes (52.1 percent) to Thomas's 20,065 votes (47.9 percent).
Appel vowed to emphasize economic development in post-Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
period. He has been affiliated with the Jefferson Business Council and the New Orleans Dock Board. Upon his election, Appel said that he will not seek any other office than the Senate position.
Appel serves on these committees: (1) Commerce, Consumer Protection, and International Affairs, (2) Education, (3) Judiciary C as vice chairman, (4) Retirement.
In 2010, Appel supported the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, known by the acronym LABI, is the largest and most successful business lobbying group in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It was founded in Baton Rouge in 1976, when Louisiana adopted a new right-to-work law during the administration of Democratic...
100 percent of the time. He backed the Louisiana Family Forum
Louisiana Family Forum
Louisiana Family Forum is a social conservative non-profit advocacy group based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The organization supports Louisiana's covenant marriage law and opposes abortion and same-sex marriage...
90 percent of the time. In 2009, he was rated 100 percent by the Louisiana Right to Life
Right to life
Right to life is a phrase that describes the belief that a human being has an essential right to live, particularly that a human being has the right not to be killed by another human being...
Federation. In 2011, Appel voted to make the state tobacco tax permanent, but the measure was vetoed by Governor Jindal. He also voted against an amendment to the Smoke-free Air Act that would have forbidden smoking in bars and restaurants.
In 2011, Appel filed a bill, with Jindal's support, to merge the University of New Orleans with the historically black Southern University at New Orleans
Southern University at New Orleans
Southern University at New Orleans is a historically black university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
. Touted as a way to save funds earmarked for higher education, the measure nevertheless failed because of a lack of support in both houses of the legislature. Appel obtained passage of a bill to place the Schepis Museum in New Orleans into the state system. He also urged support for a state constitutional amendment to limit how public colleges can increase or implement student fees.
Appel and his wife, Carol Ann, have two children, Conrad Appel, IV, also known as Connor Appel, a student at St. Martin's Episcopal
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
School, and Whitney Caroline Appel.