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District Office
Legislative Assistant : Lynette Burns
Email Carmody Thomas
Phone: (318)862-9956
Fax: (318)862-9958
Address: 5916 Fairfield Avenue
Shreveport, LA 71106
Map
Capitol House Switch Band: (225) 342-6945
Capitol House Fax: (225)342-8336
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- District #: House District 1
- Party: Republican
- Caucus Membership: Louisiana Republican Legislative Delegation
- Occupation: Real Estate Broker
- Education: Jesuit High School, Shreveport;
Louisiana State University, B.F.A. College of Design, 1983 - Spouse: Wendy
- Year Elected: 2008
- Last Year Eligible(Term Limit): 2020
- 2008 Election
Former state Rep. Mike Powell unexpectedly resigned from the seat 6 in December of 2007, explaining he needed more time to focus on his family. Shreveport businessman Barrow Peacock, a fellow Republican, immediately announced for the open seat, having lost the area’s Senate seat the previous fall to B.L. “Buddy” Shaw. But Carmody was quick to organize as well. In the end, he bested Peacock with 52% of the vote.
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Registered Voters by Parish: Bossier 16.8%, Caddo 83.2%
Municipalities/Communities Represented: Bossier City, Shreveport
Economic: District 6 consists of Shreveport’s southeast side and southern Bossier. With the exception of commercial corridors along Youree Drive and Line Avenue, the district is a bedroom community. Many constituents commute a short distance to downtown Shreveport, where they work in a variety of energy, business and professional jobs. Most notably, this district has had the most commercial and retail growth in the Shreveport area, with “big box” stores locating here next to car dealerships and other local businesses. LSU-Shreveport is located just south of the district and represents another economic driver.
Social: This district is home to establishment Shreveport upper-income residents who have traditionally run the city’s businesses and professional firms. Incomes are high among residents who live in the district’s stately mansions, or in likewise attractive and spacious homes. There are also a number of middle-class white and African-American families living in modest neighborhoods across the district.
Political: Like neighboring District 5, this district is predominantly conservative and Republican-leaning. Candidates like Mike Foster, George W. Bush and Bobby Jindal ran very well in the district. Social attitudes on issues tend to be more conservative, but residents did support gambling. In this instance, economic benefits trumped moral convictions. Other major issues that stir up the electorate include economic development, crime and neighborhood restoration.
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- While he might be new to the House, real estate broker Thomas G. Carmody, Jr., a Republican, is no stranger to the district’s political scene, as he previously served on the Shreveport City Council. Carmody represented District C on the council, which worked to his advantage during the 2008 special election. It covers almost the same area as House District 6 and Carmody came into the contest with a strong local knowledge.
- He is a popular official back home. Carmody first made a name for himself in the community in 2003 by pushing for an independent review of the police-related shooting death of Marquise Hudspeth, which made national headlines at the time.
- Carmody largely campaigned on being a fiscal conservative and had a record on the council to back up his claims. He promised voters he would help control state spending in Baton Rouge and work to repeal the so-called Stelly tax plan.
- So far, Carmody has been most successful with bills addressing protections for youth and the public education system. He passed a bill in 2009 strengthening the crime of indecent behavior with juveniles and is always thinking outside the box – he’s even overseen a study on the fiscal benefits of advertising on school buses.
- In the area of infrastructure, his top priority as a state representative includes the completion of Interstate 49 from Arkansas to Interstate 220. For him, it’s an issue of economic development. Most of all, though, expect Carmody to key in on local-level needs. He will also focus on providing resources to the areas’ Cyber Innovation Center and work to build a second bridge along Jimmie Davis Highway.
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