John E. Guinn
Encyclopedia
John Eddie Guinn, Sr., also known as Johnny Guinn (born 1953), is a business
man from Jennings
, Louisiana
, who is a Republican
member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
from District 37 in Jefferson Davis
and Calcasieu
parishes in the southwestern portion of his state. He was elected in 2007 to succeed fellow Republican Dan Morrish
, also a Jennings businessman, who was instead elected to the Louisiana State Senate
.
Guinn and his wife, Rosalie, have ten children.
Kyle Reed (born 1960 and also from Jennings) in a runoff election held on November 17, 2007. The margin of victory was only 26 votes, the closest contest of any legislative race in the state that year. The tabulation was 4,191 (50.16 percent) for Guinn to Reed's 4,165 (49.84 percent).
District 37 is rich in farm fields and depends on the cash crops of rice, sugar cane, soybeans, cattle, and crawfish. Jennings is the foundation of the Louisiana petroleum industry. The first oil well in the state was drilled nearby in 1901 by W. Scott Heywood
. Shipbuilding companies are located within the district near the town of Lake Arthur
on the south. Just north of the district in Kinder
in Allen Parish
is the Coushatta
Casino Resort, which employs numerous district residents. Though the district is traditionally Cajun
, there are farmers of English or German descent. More than 60 percent of the registered voters are Democrats, but district voters frequently back Republicans in contested elections.
Guinn serves on three House committees: Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development; Natural Resources and Environment; and Transportation, Highways, and Public Works.
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
man from Jennings
Jennings, Louisiana
Jennings is a small city in and the parish seat of Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana, United States, near Lake Charles. The population was 10,986 at the 2000 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...
, who 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...
member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
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 37 in Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana
Jefferson Davis Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Jennings. As of 2000, its population was 31,435. Jefferson Davis Parish is named after the president of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, Jefferson Davis. It is located in southwestern...
and Calcasieu
Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana
Calcasieu Parish[p] is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Lake Charles. As of 2010, the parish population was 192,768...
parishes in the southwestern portion of his state. He was elected in 2007 to succeed fellow Republican Dan Morrish
Dan Morrish
Dan Wesley Morrish, sometimes known as Blade Morrish , is a Republican member of the Louisiana State Senate from Jennings, the seat of Jefferson Davis Parish in southwestern Louisiana....
, also a Jennings businessman, who was instead elected 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...
.
Background
Guinn graduated in 1971 from Jennings High School. Engaged in sales, marketing, and auctioneering, Guinn completed the Missouri Auction School in 1984.Guinn and his wife, Rosalie, have ten children.
Legislative election
To win his house seat, Guinn defeated DemocratDemocratic 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...
Kyle Reed (born 1960 and also from Jennings) in a runoff election held on November 17, 2007. The margin of victory was only 26 votes, the closest contest of any legislative race in the state that year. The tabulation was 4,191 (50.16 percent) for Guinn to Reed's 4,165 (49.84 percent).
District 37 is rich in farm fields and depends on the cash crops of rice, sugar cane, soybeans, cattle, and crawfish. Jennings is the foundation of the Louisiana petroleum industry. The first oil well in the state was drilled nearby in 1901 by W. Scott Heywood
W. Scott Heywood
Walter Scott Heywood, known as W. Scott Heywood , was a member of the Louisiana State Senate who earlier headed a family-owned company which struck the first oil well in Louisiana on September 21, 1901 near Jennings in Jeff Davis Parish.Heywood was born in Cleveland, Ohio. As a young man, he...
. Shipbuilding companies are located within the district near the town of Lake Arthur
Lake Arthur, Louisiana
Lake Arthur is a town in Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 3,007 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jennings Micropolitan Statistical Area...
on the south. Just north of the district in Kinder
Kinder, Louisiana
Kinder is a town in Allen Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 2,148 at the 2000 census.The Lieutenant Douglas B. Fournet Memorial Park , an American Legion enterprise, was dedicated on June 11, 1988, in Kinder to remember those who died in military service to the nation.Kinder was...
in Allen Parish
Allen Parish, Louisiana
Allen Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Oberlin. As of the 2000 census, the population was 25,440. Allen Parish is in southwestern Louisiana, southwest of Alexandria....
is the Coushatta
Coushatta
----The Coushatta are a historic Muskogean-speaking Native American people living primarily in the U.S. state of Louisiana. When first encountered by Europeans, they lived in the territory of present-day Georgia and Alabama...
Casino Resort, which employs numerous district residents. Though the district is traditionally Cajun
Cajun
Cajuns are an ethnic group mainly living in the U.S. state of Louisiana, consisting of the descendants of Acadian exiles...
, there are farmers of English or German descent. More than 60 percent of the registered voters are Democrats, but district voters frequently back Republicans in contested elections.
Guinn serves on three House committees: Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development; Natural Resources and Environment; and Transportation, Highways, and Public Works.