Sherri Smith Cheek
Encyclopedia
Sherri Smith Cheek is a business
woman from Shreveport
, Louisiana
, who is a second-term Republican
member of the Louisiana State Senate
from District 38 (south Caddo
and De Soto
parishes). Cheek is the first female Republican ever elected to the Louisiana Senate.
. Cheek graduated from Southwood High School in Shreveport and attended Centenary College
and Louisiana State University in Shreveport
. Cheek works in her family's rental business and resides in Keithville
in southern Caddo Parish. She is active in the Summer Grove Baptist
Church in south Shreveport.
, Forrest Davis, who polled 9,403 votes (31.7 percent). Two other Republicans finished behind, Doug Shurling, with 5,387 votes (18.1 percent) and Ted Roberts, 4,410 (14.9 percent).In that 68 percent of primary voters had chosen a Republican candidate, Davis withdrew from the November 15 general election
, and Cheek won her seat by default.
In 2007, Cheek won reelection by defeating the more conservative Republican attorney, and subsequent member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
from District 5, Alan T. Seabaught
. Cheek prevailed in the nonpartisan blanket primary, 16,665 (53 percent) to Seabaugh's 14,725 (47 percent). De Soto Parish provided most of Cheek's margin of victory. Had the race been restricted to the majority of the precincts in Caddo Parish, Cheek would have won by only 277 votes.Seabaugh told Shreveport Times that he had "met Sheri and she seems nice. But she just doesn't represent me. It begins and ends with her voting record. She runs as a Republican and votes like a Democrat."
Cheek serves on these Senate committees: (1) Environmental Quality, (2) Finance, (3) Health and Welfare (vice chairman), and (4) Labor and Industrial Relations. She is also the vice chairman of the Select Women's and Children's Committee.
In 2010, Cheek received a 61 percent rating from the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
, lower than most Republican legislators. In 2009, the Louisiana Federation of Independent Business rated her 70 percent. The Louisiana Family Forum
rated her 13 percent in 2004, 33 percent in 2006, and 57 percent in 2007. After Cheek defeating Seabaugh, her Family Forum rating moved upward to 78 percent in 2008 and 90 percent in 2010. In 2009, she was ranked 100 percent by the Louisiana Right to Life
Federation.In 2011, Cheek voted against legislation to amend the Smoke-free Air Act to bar smoking in bars and restaurants.
, Mississippi
, was reared in Converse
, a village in Sabine Parish
. He is a city alderman and the co-pastor of The Church in Mansfield
, a nondenominational congregation. Terrell carried the support of the TEA Party movement
.
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...
woman from Shreveport
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
, 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 second-term 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 38 (south Caddo
Caddo Parish, Louisiana
Caddo Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Shreveport; as of 2000, the population was 252,161...
and De Soto
De Soto Parish, Louisiana
-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 26,656 people, 9,691 households, and 6,967 families residing in the parish. The population density was 29 people per square mile . There were 11,204 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...
parishes). Cheek is the first female Republican ever elected to the Louisiana Senate.
Background
Prior to her election in 2003, she had been since 1992 the legislative aide to her predecessor in office, fellow Republican Ron BeanRon Bean
Ronald Clarence Bean, known as Ron Bean , was a Republican state senator from Shreveport, Louisiana, between 1992 and 2004, who was hailed by his peers for nonpartisanship. Moreover, he was a United States Army soldier with service in South Korea and Vietnam and a pilot decorated for heroism...
. Cheek graduated from Southwood High School in Shreveport and attended Centenary College
Centenary College of Louisiana
Centenary College of Louisiana is a primarily undergraduate, liberal arts and sciences college in Shreveport, Louisiana. The college is one of the founding members of the Associated Colleges of the South, a pedagogical organization consisting of sixteen Southern liberal arts colleges...
and Louisiana State University in Shreveport
Louisiana State University in Shreveport
Louisiana State University in Shreveport is a branch of the Louisiana State University System in Shreveport, Louisiana. Opened in 1967, LSUS is the only public four-year university in the Shreveport-Bossier metro area....
. Cheek works in her family's rental business and resides in Keithville
Keithville, Louisiana
Keithville is an unincorporated community in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies to the south of Shreveport along U.S. Route 171. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 71047. Along with a large elementary and middle school, Keithville has several...
in southern Caddo Parish. She is active in the Summer Grove 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...
Church in south Shreveport.
Succeeding Ron Bean
In the primary held on October 4, 2003, Cheek, backed by the outgoing Senator Bean, led a four-candidate race with 10,458 (35.3 percent). In second place was the 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...
, Forrest Davis, who polled 9,403 votes (31.7 percent). Two other Republicans finished behind, Doug Shurling, with 5,387 votes (18.1 percent) and Ted Roberts, 4,410 (14.9 percent).In that 68 percent of primary voters had chosen a Republican candidate, Davis withdrew from the November 15 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...
, and Cheek won her seat by default.
In 2007, Cheek won reelection by defeating the more conservative Republican attorney, and subsequent 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 5, Alan T. Seabaught
Alan Seabaugh
Alan Thomas Seabaugh is an attorney from Shreveport, Louisiana, who is a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 5 in Caddo Parish...
. Cheek prevailed in the nonpartisan blanket primary, 16,665 (53 percent) to Seabaugh's 14,725 (47 percent). De Soto Parish provided most of Cheek's margin of victory. Had the race been restricted to the majority of the precincts in Caddo Parish, Cheek would have won by only 277 votes.Seabaugh told Shreveport Times that he had "met Sheri and she seems nice. But she just doesn't represent me. It begins and ends with her voting record. She runs as a Republican and votes like a Democrat."
Cheek serves on these Senate committees: (1) Environmental Quality, (2) Finance, (3) Health and Welfare (vice chairman), and (4) Labor and Industrial Relations. She is also the vice chairman of the Select Women's and Children's Committee.
In 2010, Cheek received a 61 percent rating from 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...
, lower than most Republican legislators. In 2009, the Louisiana Federation of Independent Business rated her 70 percent. 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...
rated her 13 percent in 2004, 33 percent in 2006, and 57 percent in 2007. After Cheek defeating Seabaugh, her Family Forum rating moved upward to 78 percent in 2008 and 90 percent in 2010. In 2009, she was ranked 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, Cheek voted against legislation to amend the Smoke-free Air Act to bar smoking in bars and restaurants.
Reelection in 2011
Cheek won her third term in the primary election held on October 22, 2011, having defeated fellow Republican Troy N. Terrell, 10,570 votes (57.2 percent) to 7,912 (42.8 percent. Terrell (born 1972), a native of StarkvilleStarkville, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 21,869 people, 9,462 households, and 4,721 families residing in the city. The population density was 851.4 people per square mile . There were 10,191 housing units at an average density of 396.7 per square mile...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, was reared in Converse
Converse, Louisiana
Converse is a village in Sabine Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 400 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Converse is located at ....
, a village in Sabine Parish
Sabine Parish, Louisiana
Sabine Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The seat of the parish is Many. In 2010, the parish's population was 24,233....
. He is a city alderman and the co-pastor of The Church in Mansfield
Mansfield, Louisiana
Mansfield is a city in and the parish seat of DeSoto Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 5,001 at the 2010 census. Mansfield is part of the Shreveport–Bossier City Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, a nondenominational congregation. Terrell carried 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...
.