Stuart Bishop
Encyclopedia
Stuart James Bishop is a businessman in Lafayette
, Louisiana
, who is an incoming Republican
member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
. He will assume the District 43 seat in January 2012, when the incumbent, his fellow Republican Page Cortez
of Lafayette, instead becomes the District 23 state senator
. With no previous political experience, Bishop is the only unopposed candidate for an open House seat in the Louisiana nonpartisan blanket primary scheduled on October 22, 2011.
Similarly, Cortez has no opponent in the Senate race to succeed the term-limited Michael J. Michot
, another Lafayette businessman and a Democrat
-turned Republican. A third Republican, former state Representative Ronnie Johns
of Sulphur
in Calcasieu Parish
, is also unopposed and will succeed the term-limited Willie Landry Mount in the District 27 seat in the state Senate.
A native of Jeanerette
in Iberia Parish
, Bishop graduated from Louisiana State University
in Baton Rouge
. In 1997, after leaving LSU, he moved to Lafayette. He is an officer of his family's business, Baldwin Redi-Mix Concrete. Bishop and his wife, the former Kim Dugas, have two children.Even before it was clear that Bishop would run without opposition for the House seat, the candidate drew the endorsement of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
Bishop also carries the support of the TEA Party movement
, which endorsed his candidacy based on Bishop's stated belief in smaller government and the desire to reduce regulations that hamper the growth of business.
Bishop said that his state is moving in the right direction: "I believe that business is obviously the backbone of everything, and I’m going to be a pro-business politician by all means.” Bishop is a member of the Lafayette Education Foundation, the Concrete and Aggregate Association of Louisiana, the National Redi-Mix Concrete Association, and Downtown Lafayette Unlimited.
Lafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 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 an incoming 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...
. He will assume the District 43 seat in January 2012, when the incumbent, his fellow Republican Page Cortez
Page Cortez
Patrick Page Cortez, known as Page Cortez , is a Lafayette, Louisiana, businessman and a departing one-term Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives...
of Lafayette, instead becomes the District 23 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...
. With no previous political experience, Bishop is the only unopposed candidate for an open House seat in the Louisiana nonpartisan blanket primary scheduled on October 22, 2011.
Similarly, Cortez has no opponent in the Senate race to succeed the term-limited Michael J. Michot
Michael J. Michot
Michael John "Mike" Michot is the departing senior Republican member of the Louisiana State Senate, having represented District 23 since the year 2000. He is the outgoing hairman of the Senate Finance Committee. Michot was unopposed for his third Senate term in the nonpartisan blanket primary...
, another Lafayette businessman and 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...
-turned Republican. A third Republican, former state Representative Ronnie Johns
Ronnie Johns (Louisiana politician)
Ronald Steven Johns, known as Ronnie Johns , is a State Farm Insurance agency owner in Sulphur, Louisiana, who is an incoming Republican member of the Louisiana State Senate from District 27 in Calcasieu Parish. He is unopposed in the nonpartisan blanket primary set for October 22, 2011, to choose...
of Sulphur
Sulphur, Louisiana
Sulphur is a city in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 22,512 at the 2000 census. Sulphur is a suburb of Lake Charles, and is part of the Lake Charles Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
in Calcasieu Parish
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...
, is also unopposed and will succeed the term-limited Willie Landry Mount in the District 27 seat in the state Senate.
A native of 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
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...
, Bishop graduated from Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
in Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
. In 1997, after leaving LSU, he moved to Lafayette. He is an officer of his family's business, Baldwin Redi-Mix Concrete. Bishop and his wife, the former Kim Dugas, have two children.Even before it was clear that Bishop would run without opposition for the House seat, the candidate drew the endorsement of 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...
Bishop also carries 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...
, which endorsed his candidacy based on Bishop's stated belief in smaller government and the desire to reduce regulations that hamper the growth of business.
Bishop said that his state is moving in the right direction: "I believe that business is obviously the backbone of everything, and I’m going to be a pro-business politician by all means.” Bishop is a member of the Lafayette Education Foundation, the Concrete and Aggregate Association of Louisiana, the National Redi-Mix Concrete Association, and Downtown Lafayette Unlimited.