Randy Wiggins
Encyclopedia
Randy E. Wiggins is a State Farm Insurance
agent in Alexandria
, Louisiana
, who is the first Republican
since Reconstruction to have been elected from Rapides Parish
to the Louisiana House of Representatives
. Wiggins served only a single term in the Pineville
-based District 27 from 1996 to 2000. In 1999, he failed in a state senate
race against former Senator Joe McPherson
, a businessman then of Pineville and later of Woodworth
in southern Rapides Parish.
The late Jock Scott
, a professor
and lawyer
, served as a Republican in the Alexandria-based House District 26 from 1985 to 1988, but he was elected in 1983 to his third term as a Democrat
.
On October 6, 1995, Wiggins won the District 27 seat when as the only opposing candidate he upset the incumbent
Democrat Rick L. Farrar
of Pineville, 6,350 votes (51.1 percent) to 6,077 (48.9 percent).
In the House, Wiggins served on the Joint House and Senate Health and Welfare Committee and in 1997 participated in a legislative tour of health-care facilities in Rapides and neighboring Avoyelles Parish, including St. Mary's Training School in Alexandria, Avoyelles Hospital in Marksville
, and Bunkie General Hospital in Bunkie
. Wiggins said the purpose of the tour is to allow lawmakers a better understanding of health-care issues and budget considerations.
Wiggins ran for the state Senate when B.G. Dyess
, an Alexandria Baptist
minister and former Rapides Parish registrar of voters, declined to seek a second term, having served only from 1996 to 2000. In the primary held on October 23, 1999, McPherson prevailed, 13,820 (50.4 percent) to Wiggins's 12,393 (45.2 percent), and another 1,212 votes (4.4 percent) for Democrat Jerry M. Guillory.
Wiggins is married to the former Kathy Daniels. He graduated in 1969 from Buckeye High School in Deville
in eastern Rapides Parish. He subsequently graduated with a Bachelor of Science
degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
, then known as the University of Southwestern Louisiana. He is Baptist. He is affiliated with Kiwanis International in Pineville. His insurance office, established in 1982, is located at 2146 North Mall Drive near the Alexandria Mall.
Wiggins is a contributor to such Republican candidates as U.S. Representative Rodney Alexander
, U.S. Senator David Vitter
, and the 2002 Republican senatorial nominee Suzanne Haik Terrell
of New Orleans
, defeated by the Democratic incumbent Mary Landrieu
. In 1998, he contributed to current Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon
in Donelon’s unsuccessful Republican challenge to U.S. Senator John Breaux
of Crowley
.
In 2011, Wiggins announced he would challenge fellow Republican State Representative Chris Hazel
of Ball
, who is seeking a second term in the District 27 seat.
State Farm Insurance
State Farm Insurance is a group of insurance and financial services companies in the United States. The company also has operations in Canada....
agent in Alexandria
Alexandria, Louisiana
Alexandria is a city in and the parish seat of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies on the south bank of the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. It is the principal city of the Alexandria metropolitan area which encompasses all of Rapides and Grant parishes....
, 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 first 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...
since Reconstruction to have been elected from Rapides Parish
Rapides Parish, Louisiana
-Military Installations:*Camp Beauregard *Esler Airfield *England Air Force Base *Camp Claiborne *Camp Livingston -Demographics:...
to 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...
. Wiggins served only a single term in the 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....
-based District 27 from 1996 to 2000. In 1999, he failed in a 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...
race against former Senator Joe McPherson
Joe McPherson
William Joseph "Joe" McPherson, Jr., is a retiring veteran Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate from Woodworth, a small community south of Alexandria, Louisiana, the seat of government of Rapides Parish and the largest city in the Central Louisiana region...
, a businessman then of Pineville and later of Woodworth
Woodworth, Louisiana
Woodworth is a town in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Alexandria, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,080 at the 2000 census....
in southern Rapides Parish.
The late Jock Scott
Jock Scott
John Wyeth "Jock" Scott, II was a lawyer and college professor in Alexandria, who served three terms from District 26 in the Louisiana House of Representatives, first as a Democrat and then as a Republican . He was defeated in a race for the Louisiana State Senate in 1987...
, a professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
and lawyer
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...
, served as a Republican in the Alexandria-based House District 26 from 1985 to 1988, but he was elected in 1983 to his third term as a Democrat
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...
.
On October 6, 1995, Wiggins won the District 27 seat when as the only opposing candidate he upset the incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
Democrat Rick L. Farrar
Rick L. Farrar
Rick Lamar Farrar, known as Rick L. Farrar , is an attorney in Pineville, Louisiana, who served as the Democratic state representative from District 27 in Rapides Parish from 1992–1996 and again from 2000-2008....
of Pineville, 6,350 votes (51.1 percent) to 6,077 (48.9 percent).
In the House, Wiggins served on the Joint House and Senate Health and Welfare Committee and in 1997 participated in a legislative tour of health-care facilities in Rapides and neighboring Avoyelles Parish, including St. Mary's Training School in Alexandria, Avoyelles Hospital in Marksville
Marksville, Louisiana
Marksville is a city in and the parish seat of Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 5,537 at the 2000 census. Louisiana's first land-based casino, Paragon Casino Resort, opened in Marksville in June 1994...
, and Bunkie General Hospital in Bunkie
Bunkie, Louisiana
Bunkie is a city in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 4,662 at the 2000 census.Bunkie is the birthplace of jazz drummer Zutty Singleton. Sue Eakin, Louisiana historian and former publisher of the Bunkie Record, resided in Bunkie for most of her life until her death in...
. Wiggins said the purpose of the tour is to allow lawmakers a better understanding of health-care issues and budget considerations.
Wiggins ran for the state Senate when B.G. Dyess
B.G. Dyess
Bernice G. Dyess, known as B. G. Dyess , is a semi-retired Baptist minister from Alexandria, Louisiana, who served as a conservative Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate from 1996 to 2000, in which capacity he was known for his opposition to gambling...
, an Alexandria 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...
minister and former Rapides Parish registrar of voters, declined to seek a second term, having served only from 1996 to 2000. In the primary held on October 23, 1999, McPherson prevailed, 13,820 (50.4 percent) to Wiggins's 12,393 (45.2 percent), and another 1,212 votes (4.4 percent) for Democrat Jerry M. Guillory.
Wiggins is married to the former Kathy Daniels. He graduated in 1969 from Buckeye High School in Deville
Deville, Louisiana
Deville is a census-designated place in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Alexandria, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area...
in eastern Rapides Parish. He subsequently graduated with 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 from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette, or UL Lafayette, is a coeducational, public research university located in Lafayette, Louisiana, in the heart of Acadiana...
, then known as the University of Southwestern Louisiana. He is Baptist. He is affiliated with Kiwanis International in Pineville. His insurance office, established in 1982, is located at 2146 North Mall Drive near the Alexandria Mall.
Wiggins is a contributor to such Republican candidates as U.S. Representative Rodney Alexander
Rodney Alexander
Rodney McKinnie Alexander is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district covers twenty-two parishes in roughly the northeast quadrant of the state...
, U.S. Senator David Vitter
David Vitter
David Vitter is the junior United States Senator from Louisiana and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he served in the United States House of Representatives, representing the suburban Louisiana's 1st congressional district. He served as a member of the Louisiana House of...
, and the 2002 Republican senatorial nominee Suzanne Haik Terrell
Suzanne Haik Terrell
Suzanne Haik Terrell is a Louisiana lawyer who failed in a high-profile Republican bid for the U.S. Senate in 2002 and for state attorney general in 2003. She was the state's last commissioner of elections, having served from 2000 to 2004. In 2005, President George W...
of 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...
, defeated by the Democratic incumbent Mary Landrieu
Mary Landrieu
Mary Loretta Landrieu is the senior United States Senator from the State of Louisiana and a member of the Democratic Party.Born in Arlington, Virginia, Landrieu was raised in New Orleans, Louisiana...
. In 1998, he contributed to current Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon
Jim Donelon
James J. "Jim" Donelon has been the Republican insurance commissioner of Louisiana since February 15, 2006.Donelon won a full-term as commissioner in the October 20, 2007 nonpartisan blanket primary. He finished with 606,534 votes and defeated three opponents, the closest of whom, Democrat Jim...
in Donelon’s unsuccessful Republican challenge to U.S. Senator John Breaux
John Breaux
John Berlinger Breaux is a former United States senator from Louisiana who served from 1987 until 2005. He was also a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1972 to 1987. He was considered one of the more conservative national legislators from the Democratic Party...
of Crowley
Crowley, Louisiana
Crowley is a city in and the parish seat of Acadia Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 14,225 at the 2000 census. The city is noted for its annual International Rice Festival. Crowley has the nickname of "Rice Capital of America", because at one time it was a major center for...
.
In 2011, Wiggins announced he would challenge fellow Republican State Representative Chris Hazel
Chris Hazel
Lowell Christopher Hazel, known as Chris Hazel , is an attorney from Pineville, Louisiana, and a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 27, which encompasses northern Rapides Parish....
of Ball
Ball, Louisiana
Ball is a town in Rapides Parish just north of Pineville, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Alexandria, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, who is seeking a second term in the District 27 seat.