Simone B. Champagne
Encyclopedia
Simone Becnel Champagne is a Republican
member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
from District 49 (Iberia
and Vermilion
parishes) in south Louisiana
. She resides in Jeanerette
in Iberia Parish, where in 1971 she graduated from Jeanerette High School. Thereafter, she studied banking in continuing education
programs.
government. She resigned to run for state representative and faced no opposition. The incumbent Democrat
, later Independent, Troy Hebert
, also of Jeanerette, vacated the seat because of term limits and instead was elected to the Louisiana State Senate
. Champagne won her House race as a Democrat, but in July 2010, she switched party allegiance. Representative Champagne serves on the House committees on (1) Appropriations, (2) Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs, (3) Natural Resources and Environment, (4) House Executive Committee, and (5) Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget. She is a member of the Acadiana
delegation, the Legislative Women's Caucus, the Republican legislative delegation, and the Louisiana Rural Caucus. In 2009, Champagne was rated 100 percent by the Louisiana Right to Life
Federation and the conservative Louisiana Family Forum
and 65 percent by the trade association
, the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
.
, a banker and pharmacist from St. Martin Parish
. Mills also switched from Democrat-to-Republican in 2010.
In a campaign statement for the Senate race, Champagne said: "Government spending and growth is the problem, it hinders our ability to grow our economy and small businesses. Now more than ever we need a true conservative in the State Senate, and that is why I decided to run for this important seat . . . If we want to create jobs we must get government out of the way. No more moratoriums, no more regulations and we can’t afford higher taxes. As a mother of five and grandmother of three, I’ve stretched a budget and done more with less. Shouldn’t our government do the same? . . . If we have learned anything in the past two years it is that we cannot afford to allow government to run rampant and continue the out-of-control spending. That is why I voted against the bloated Louisiana budget last year and supported legislation that allowed Louisiana to opt out of Barack Obama
's costly health-care mandate."
Mills polled 12,812 votes in the special Senate election, or 60 percent of the total cast in the first round of balloting. Champagne finished second with 4,040 votes (19 percent). Champagne campaigned as a "Reagan Republican" and had the open support of Republican U.S. Senator David Vitter
. Independent David Groner finished third with 2,534 votes (12 percent). The remaining ballots favored two other Republican candidates and a second Independent hopeful. No Democrats contested the position.
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 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...
from District 49 (Iberia
Iberia Parish, Louisiana
Iberia Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is New Iberia. As of 2000, the population was 73,266.Iberia Parish is part of the New Iberia Micropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Lafayette–Acadiana Combined Statistical Area.Iberia, along with...
and Vermilion
Vermilion Parish, Louisiana
Vermilion Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Abbeville. As of the 2010 census, the population was 57,999....
parishes) in south 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...
. She resides in Jeanerette
Jeanerette, Louisiana
Jeanerette is a city in Iberia Parish, Louisiana, United States. Known as "Sugar City", it had a population of 5,997 at the 2000 census. It is part of the New Iberia Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Early years:...
in Iberia Parish, where in 1971 she graduated from Jeanerette High School. Thereafter, she studied banking in continuing education
Continuing education
Continuing education is an all-encompassing term within a broad spectrum of post-secondary learning activities and programs. The term is used mainly in the United States and Canada...
programs.
House service
From 2002 to 2007, Champagne was the chief administrative officer for the combined Iberia Parish and city of New IberiaNew Iberia, Louisiana
New Iberia is a city in and the parish seat of Iberia Parish, Louisiana, United States, 30 miles southeast of Lafayette. In 1900, 6,815 people lived in New Iberia; in 1910, 7,499; and in 1940, 13,747...
government. She resigned to run for state representative and faced no opposition. The incumbent 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...
, later Independent, Troy Hebert
Troy Hebert
Troy Michael Hebert is a politician from Jeanerette, Louisiana, who is the current Commissioner of the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control. Hebert was appointed commissioner by Republican Governor Bobby Jindal...
, also of Jeanerette, vacated the seat because of term limits and instead was 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...
. Champagne won her House race as a Democrat, but in July 2010, she switched party allegiance. Representative Champagne serves on the House committees on (1) Appropriations, (2) Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs, (3) Natural Resources and Environment, (4) House Executive Committee, and (5) Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget. She is a member of the Acadiana
Acadiana
Acadiana, or The Heart of Acadiana, is the official name given to the French Louisiana region that is home to a large Francophone population. Of the 64 parishes that make up Louisiana, 22 named parishes and other parishes of similar cultural environment, make up the intrastate...
delegation, the Legislative Women's Caucus, the Republican legislative delegation, and the Louisiana Rural Caucus. In 2009, Champagne 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 and the conservative 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...
and 65 percent by the trade association
Trade association
A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association or sector association, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry...
, 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...
.
Special Senate election
Early in 2011, Champagne ran in a special election for the state Senate but lost to a House colleague, Fred Henry Mills, Jr.Fred Mills (Louisiana politician)
Fred Henry Mills, Jr. , is a pharmacist and banker from St. Martinville, Louisiana, who is a Republican member of the Louisiana State Senate, having won a special election on January 22, 2011, for the District 22 seat vacated in 2010 by the Independent Troy Hebert of Jeanerette.Mills had since 2008...
, a banker and pharmacist from St. Martin Parish
St. Martin Parish, Louisiana
St. Martin Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is St. Martinville. As of the 2000 census, the population was 48,583.St...
. Mills also switched from Democrat-to-Republican in 2010.
In a campaign statement for the Senate race, Champagne said: "Government spending and growth is the problem, it hinders our ability to grow our economy and small businesses. Now more than ever we need a true conservative in the State Senate, and that is why I decided to run for this important seat . . . If we want to create jobs we must get government out of the way. No more moratoriums, no more regulations and we can’t afford higher taxes. As a mother of five and grandmother of three, I’ve stretched a budget and done more with less. Shouldn’t our government do the same? . . . If we have learned anything in the past two years it is that we cannot afford to allow government to run rampant and continue the out-of-control spending. That is why I voted against the bloated Louisiana budget last year and supported legislation that allowed Louisiana to opt out of Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's costly health-care mandate."
Mills polled 12,812 votes in the special Senate election, or 60 percent of the total cast in the first round of balloting. Champagne finished second with 4,040 votes (19 percent). Champagne campaigned as a "Reagan Republican" and had the open support of Republican 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...
. Independent David Groner finished third with 2,534 votes (12 percent). The remaining ballots favored two other Republican candidates and a second Independent hopeful. No Democrats contested the position.