Jimmy D. Long
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Dale Long, Sr. is a former Democratic
member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
. He represented District 23 (Winn and Natchitoches parishes) from 1968 until 2000, being the "dean" of the Louisiana House when he returned to private life. He is a recognized authority on education
al policy. For sixteen years, he chaired the House Education Committee. The Shreveport Times named Long "One of the 100 Most Influential People of the 20th Century in North Louisiana
." He is a member of the Long
political dynasty
.
, Dr. Ray D. Tarver (1921–1972) in the Democratic primary. In 1967, Long unseated Tarver in the primary and thereafter, he won seven consecutive elections, often with minor opposition. However, he was surprisingly defeated for a ninth term in the House in the 1999 nonpartisan blanket primary by his fellow Democrat, Thomas Taylor Townsend
, who is a nephew
and law partner of former Democratic State Senator
Donald G. Kelly
of Natchitoches. Long received 7,447 votes (49 percent) to Townsend's 7,643 (51 percent). The defeat was stunning in that Long had been unopposed in 1995 but had faced competition in 1991. Long was among the last members of his political family to have held public office in Louisiana. Taylor Townsend in turn was reelected in 2003. Two years after his defeat, Long was appointed by Republican
Governor
Murphy J. "Mike" Foster, Jr.
, to the University of Louisiana board. The board members themselves named him chairman.
During his last term in the House, one of Long's colleagues was his cousin
, Mike Smith
, the area state senator from Winnfield.
(1923–1985), a former U.S. representative from the defunct Eighth Congressional District, was also a paternal grandson of Thomas Jefferson Long and hence Jimmy Long's third cousin
.
Long attended public schools and graduated from Winnfield High School. One of his classmates was his distant cousin Floyd W. Smith, Jr.
(1932–2010), whose mother was a Long. Smith would enter local politics and became the mayor of Pineville
in northern Rapides Parish in 1966.
After high school, Long enrolled at Northwestern State University
(at the time "State College") in Natchitoches
, where he majored in government
. He served in the United States Navy
from 1948-1955. He made his living as a grocery store owner and a cattle
farmer
. He is married to the former Dorothy Griffin (born 1934). Their son, Jimmy D. Long, Jr. (born 1963), is an attorney
in Natchitoches, who specializes in estate planning
.
Cecil J. Picard
of Vermilion Parish in southwestern Louisiana, who was then the chairman of the Senate Education Committee. In 1996, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education appointed Picard as the state education superintendent. Long was called upon to deliver a eulogy
at Picard's funeral in 2007.
As the chairman of the House Education Committee, Long also worked with then NSU President Robert A. Alost to establish the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts and the Louisiana Scholars' College, the state's designated honors college in the arts
and sciences. Long also assisted NSU in the development of innovative programs and was instrumental in the appropriation of funding for the institution.
Long is a former member of the Southern Regional Education Board
and served as Louisiana's delegate to the Education Commission of the States
.
During his legislative tenure, Long was cited by the Louisiana press corps as being among the "most effective" of all legislators. He has been a member of the board of directors of the NSU Foundation, and he has received honorary memberships in the Blue Key International Honor Society and Graduate 'N' Club. Long was inducted into the NSU Hall of Distinction.
In 2003, Long was among the inductees into the NSU Hall of Distinguished Educators, being given the "Friend of Education" honor. In 2004, Long and the former State Senator
Leopold Caspari
of Natchitoches were selected as co-recipients of the President's Distinguished Service Award from NSU. University President Dr. Randall J. Webb said that he was "honored to recognize both of these exceptional men. Each of them played a significant role in the growth and development of Northwestern State University. [They] understood the importance of education to the state of Louisiana. They also set an example by giving of themselves through public service."
Long's fellow honoree Caspari, termed "the father of the Normal
," was instrumental in the founding of the teacher
's college which became NSU and the placement of the school in Natchitoches. A native of France
, he immigrated to the United States
in 1848 and settled in Cloutierville in south Natchitoches Parish. A farmer and businessman, he moved to Natchitoches in 1858. Caspari, who served for some three decades in both the Louisiana House and Senate, is honored by the naming of Caspari Hall and Caspari Street on the NSU campus.
Jimmy and Dorothy Long reside in Natchitoches. He is Baptist
. In 2004, Long contributed to Democratic U.S. Senate candidate John Neely Kennedy, the Louisiana state treasurer, who since switched to Republican affiliation and lost his bid for the United States Senate
in 2008.
In 2000, Long was inducted into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame
in Winnfield.
, a younger brother of Jimmy Long, was elected as a Republican to the Louisiana State Senate
(District 31) in the October 20, 2007, jungle primary. Long defeated Democrat Taylor Townsend, who had ended his brother's House career eight years earlier. The Louisiana Prolife Alliance endorsed Gerald Long in the race. Prolife spokesman Dan Richey
, himself a former state senator, said the group opposed Townsend because of his past support of human cloning
. Gerald Long is one of the few members of the legendary Long family to have made the plunge from Democrat to Republican affiliation. He is also the first Republican to represent traditionally Democratic Natchitoches Parish in the legislature since Reconstruction. He also succeeded his Democratic cousin, Mike Smith, who was term-limited in the 2007 election.
Republican Rickey L. "Rick" Nowlin
of Natchitoches defeated former Natchitoches Mayor
Joseph Michael "Joe" Sampite , a Democrat, in the November 17, 2007, general election
for the historically Democratic District 23 House seat vacated by Taylor Townsend and formerly held by Jimmy Long. Nowlin overpowered Sampite, 4,609 (55 percent) to 3,766 (45 percent) in a low-turnout election. In the primary Nowlin had also led Sampite, 4,849 (35 percent) to 4,598 (33 percent).
The 2007 legislative elections marked the first time in modern history that Natchitoches would be represented by Republicans in both chambers of the state legislature.
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 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...
. He represented District 23 (Winn and Natchitoches parishes) from 1968 until 2000, being the "dean" of the Louisiana House when he returned to private life. He is a recognized authority on education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
al policy. For sixteen years, he chaired the House Education Committee. The Shreveport Times named Long "One of the 100 Most Influential People of the 20th Century in North Louisiana
North Louisiana
North Louisiana is a region in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The region has two metropolitan areas: Shreveport-Bossier City and Monroe-West Monroe....
." He is a member of the Long
Huey Long
Huey Pierce Long, Jr. , nicknamed The Kingfish, served as the 40th Governor of Louisiana from 1928–1932 and as a U.S. Senator from 1932 to 1935. A Democrat, he was noted for his radical populist policies. Though a backer of Franklin D...
political dynasty
Dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...
.
Defeat in 1999
In 1963, Long ran unsuccessfully for the Louisiana House, having been defeated by the Natchitoches dentistDentist
A dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
, Dr. Ray D. Tarver (1921–1972) in the Democratic primary. In 1967, Long unseated Tarver in the primary and thereafter, he won seven consecutive elections, often with minor opposition. However, he was surprisingly defeated for a ninth term in the House in the 1999 nonpartisan blanket primary by his fellow Democrat, Thomas Taylor Townsend
Taylor Townsend (Louisiana politician)
Thomas Taylor Townsend, known as Taylor Townsend , is an attorney from Natchitoches, Louisiana, who served as a Democrat in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 2000-2008. Townsend is a nephew and law partner of former Louisiana State Senator Donald G. Kelly, in the firm Kelly, Townsend &...
, who is a nephew
Nephew
Nephew is a son of one's sibling or sibling-in-law, and niece is a daughter of one's sibling or a sibling-in-law. Sons and daughters of siblings-in-law are also informally referred to as nephews and nieces respectively, even though there is no blood relation...
and law partner of former Democratic State Senator
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...
Donald G. Kelly
Donald G. Kelly
Donald Gene Kelly, usually known as Don Kelly , is a prominent trial lawyer and American Quarter Horse breeder in Natchitoches who served as a Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate from 1976 to 1996. His tenure covered three of the four terms of Democratic Governor Edwin Washington...
of Natchitoches. Long received 7,447 votes (49 percent) to Townsend's 7,643 (51 percent). The defeat was stunning in that Long had been unopposed in 1995 but had faced competition in 1991. Long was among the last members of his political family to have held public office in Louisiana. Taylor Townsend in turn was reelected in 2003. Two years after his defeat, Long was appointed by 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...
Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
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...
, to the University of Louisiana board. The board members themselves named him chairman.
During his last term in the House, one of Long's colleagues was his cousin
Cousin
In kinship terminology, a cousin is a relative with whom one shares one or more common ancestors. The term is rarely used when referring to a relative in one's immediate family where there is a more specific term . The term "blood relative" can be used synonymously and establishes the existence of...
, Mike Smith
Mike Smith (Louisiana politician)
Kenneth Michael Smith, Sr., known as Mike Smith , is a businessman in Winnfield, Louisiana, who served as a Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate from 1996 to 2008....
, the area state senator from Winnfield.
Early years, family, occupation
Long was born in Winnfield, the seat of Winn Parish, to Ruben Ray Long (1900–1966) and the former Ruby Smith (1906–1984). He was the third of eight sons. His paternal grandparents were Thomas Jefferson Long (1861–1948) and the former Mary Ella Wright (1864–1902). Gillis William LongGillis William Long
Gillis William Long was a Democratic U.S. Representative from Louisiana and member of the Long family. Long served seven non-consecutive terms in the United States House of Representatives but placed third in two campaigns for the Democratic gubernatorial nominations in 1963 and 1971...
(1923–1985), a former U.S. representative from the defunct Eighth Congressional District, was also a paternal grandson of Thomas Jefferson Long and hence Jimmy Long's third cousin
Cousin
In kinship terminology, a cousin is a relative with whom one shares one or more common ancestors. The term is rarely used when referring to a relative in one's immediate family where there is a more specific term . The term "blood relative" can be used synonymously and establishes the existence of...
.
Long attended public schools and graduated from Winnfield High School. One of his classmates was his distant cousin Floyd W. Smith, Jr.
Floyd Smith (Louisiana politician)
Floyd William Smith, Jr. , was a businessman from Winnfield, Louisiana, who served as the Democratic mayor of Pineville in Rapides Parish from 1966-1970. He was a maternal second cousin of former U.S. Representative Speedy O...
(1932–2010), whose mother was a Long. Smith would enter local politics and became the mayor of Pineville
Pineville, Louisiana
Pineville is a city in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is adjacent to the city of Alexandria, and is part of that city's Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 13,829 at the 2000 census....
in northern Rapides Parish in 1966.
After high school, Long enrolled at Northwestern State University
Northwestern State University
Northwestern State University, known as NSU, is a four-year public university primarily situated in Natchitoches, Louisiana, with a nursing campus in Shreveport and general campuses in Leesville/Fort Polk and Alexandria. It is a part of the University of Louisiana System.NSU was founded in 1884 as...
(at the time "State College") in Natchitoches
Natchitoches, Louisiana
Natchitoches is a city in and the parish seat of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. Established in 1714 by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis as part of French Louisiana, the community was named after the Natchitoches Indian tribe. The City of Natchitoches was first incorporated on February...
, where he majored in government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
. He served 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...
from 1948-1955. He made his living as a grocery store owner and a cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
. He is married to the former Dorothy Griffin (born 1934). Their son, Jimmy D. Long, Jr. (born 1963), is an attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
in Natchitoches, who specializes in estate planning
Estate planning
Estate planning is the process of anticipating and arranging for the disposal of an estate. Estate planning typically attempts to eliminate uncertainties over the administration of a probate and maximize the value of the estate by reducing taxes and other expenses...
.
Point man on education
In the legislature, Long developed a close working relationship with state SenatorLouisiana 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...
Cecil J. Picard
Cecil J. Picard
Cecil J. Picard was the appointed Louisiana state superintendent of education from 1996 until his death, which followed a 21-month fight against the deadly Lou Gehrig's disease. Picard was also a former Democratic member of both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature...
of Vermilion Parish in southwestern Louisiana, who was then the chairman of the Senate Education Committee. In 1996, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education appointed Picard as the state education superintendent. Long was called upon to deliver a eulogy
Eulogy
A eulogy is a speech or writing in praise of a person or thing, especially one recently deceased or retired. Eulogies may be given as part of funeral services. However, some denominations either discourage or do not permit eulogies at services to maintain respect for traditions...
at Picard's funeral in 2007.
As the chairman of the House Education Committee, Long also worked with then NSU President Robert A. Alost to establish the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts and the Louisiana Scholars' College, the state's designated honors college in the arts
ARts
aRts, which stands for analog Real time synthesizer, is an audio framework that is no longer under development. It is best known for previously being used in KDE to simulate an analog synthesizer....
and sciences. Long also assisted NSU in the development of innovative programs and was instrumental in the appropriation of funding for the institution.
Long is a former member of the Southern Regional Education Board
Southern Regional Education Board
The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit organization based in Atlanta, Georgia that works to improve education in its 16 member states in the southeastern United States: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma,...
and served as Louisiana's delegate to the Education Commission of the States
Education Commission of the States
The Education Commission of the States was founded as a result of the creation of the Compact for Education, an interstate compact approved by Congress in 1965 and currently entered by 49 U.S...
.
During his legislative tenure, Long was cited by the Louisiana press corps as being among the "most effective" of all legislators. He has been a member of the board of directors of the NSU Foundation, and he has received honorary memberships in the Blue Key International Honor Society and Graduate 'N' Club. Long was inducted into the NSU Hall of Distinction.
In 2003, Long was among the inductees into the NSU Hall of Distinguished Educators, being given the "Friend of Education" honor. In 2004, Long and the former State Senator
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...
Leopold Caspari
Leopold Caspari
Leopold Caspari was a French-born businessman and politician from Natchitoches, Louisiana, who, as a state representative in 1884 pushed for the establishment of Northwestern State University....
of Natchitoches were selected as co-recipients of the President's Distinguished Service Award from NSU. University President Dr. Randall J. Webb said that he was "honored to recognize both of these exceptional men. Each of them played a significant role in the growth and development of Northwestern State University. [They] understood the importance of education to the state of Louisiana. They also set an example by giving of themselves through public service."
Long's fellow honoree Caspari, termed "the father of the Normal
Normal school
A normal school is a school created to train high school graduates to be teachers. Its purpose is to establish teaching standards or norms, hence its name...
," was instrumental in the founding of the teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
's college which became NSU and the placement of the school in Natchitoches. A native of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, he immigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1848 and settled in Cloutierville in south Natchitoches Parish. A farmer and businessman, he moved to Natchitoches in 1858. Caspari, who served for some three decades in both the Louisiana House and Senate, is honored by the naming of Caspari Hall and Caspari Street on the NSU campus.
Jimmy and Dorothy Long reside in Natchitoches. He is Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
. In 2004, Long contributed to Democratic U.S. Senate candidate John Neely Kennedy, the Louisiana state treasurer, who since switched to Republican affiliation and lost his 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 2008.
In 2000, Long 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.
A Republican Long
Gerald LongGerald Long
Gerald Long , is a rare Republican member of the traditionally Democratic Long political dynasty in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Specifically, he is a third cousin of the late Governors Huey Pierce Long, Jr., and Earl Kemp Long...
, a younger brother of Jimmy Long, was elected as a Republican to 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...
(District 31) in the October 20, 2007, jungle primary. Long defeated Democrat Taylor Townsend, who had ended his brother's House career eight years earlier. The Louisiana Prolife Alliance endorsed Gerald Long in the race. Prolife spokesman Dan Richey
Dan Richey
Daniel Wesley "Dan" Richey is a Baton Rouge-based political consultant for "pro-family" candidates and organizations, including Louisiana Family Forum. From 1997 to 2004, Richey served under appointment of Republican Governor Murphy J...
, himself a former state senator, said the group opposed Townsend because of his past support of human cloning
Human cloning
Human cloning is the creation of a genetically identical copy of a human. It does not usually refer to monozygotic multiple births nor the reproduction of human cells or tissue. The ethics of cloning is an extremely controversial issue...
. Gerald Long is one of the few members of the legendary Long family to have made the plunge from Democrat to Republican affiliation. He is also the first Republican to represent traditionally Democratic Natchitoches Parish in the legislature since Reconstruction. He also succeeded his Democratic cousin, Mike Smith, who was term-limited in the 2007 election.
Republican Rickey L. "Rick" Nowlin
Rick Nowlin
Rickey L. "Rick" Nowlin is a Natchitoches engineer and businessman who is a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 23 ....
of Natchitoches defeated former Natchitoches Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
Joseph Michael "Joe" Sampite , a Democrat, in the November 17, 2007, 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...
for the historically Democratic District 23 House seat vacated by Taylor Townsend and formerly held by Jimmy Long. Nowlin overpowered Sampite, 4,609 (55 percent) to 3,766 (45 percent) in a low-turnout election. In the primary Nowlin had also led Sampite, 4,849 (35 percent) to 4,598 (33 percent).
The 2007 legislative elections marked the first time in modern history that Natchitoches would be represented by Republicans in both chambers of the state legislature.