Sen. Elbert Guillory (D)
District# 24,

• District # 24: House District 0
• Party: Democrat
• Caucus Membership: --
• Occupation: Attorney
• Education: J.S. Clark High School; Norfolk State College; J.D., Rutgers Law School
• Spouse: Single
• Year Elected: 2009
• Last Year Eligible(Term Limit): 2020
• 2007 Election
  

• Louisiana Map
• District Map
• Metro Map
• Economic: District 24 stretches south from the northern boundary of St. Landry Parish into northern sections of Lafayette Parish. Opelousas is the district’s largest population center and is surrounded by smaller, less-populated towns that have become in recent years bedroom communities for Lafayette. With little industry, these towns, particularly Grand Coteau and Sunset, have become destinations for weekend antique shoppers.
  
  The largest economic forces in the district are the Wal-Mart Distribution Center located along I-49 north of Opelousas and the Evangeline Downs Racetrack and Casino which relocated from Lafayette Parish in 2004 and draws patrons to its 24-hour facility. Several small manufacturing firms are located around Opelousas and in Eunice, on the district’s western edge. Timber, crawfish, cotton and grain are abundant here.
  
  Social: Despite abundant natural resources, the district is per capita among the poorest areas in the state. Illiteracy and unemployment are high here and local officials continue to grapple with the increasing number of drug and violent crimes. Some pockets of affluence exist in Carencro and in Opelousas, but they are greatly outnumbered.
  
  Political: This is one of the more politically active areas in the state. Elections here generate high interest and can draw a large field of candidates. The district is overwhelmingly Democratic and for Republicans to be successful here, they must address issues of importance to voters in the region – healthcare, roads and education.

• During his first legislative session in the House, Guillory separated himself from the pack and grabbed statewide headlines by being the only member to vote against criminalizing cockfighting, which was a popular activity in his district. As a private citizen who hosts free toy giveaways each Christmas, Guillory has sought to be a champion on poverty issues. As a defense attorney, he has also gravitated toward criminal justice issues. He’s filed inmates-rights bills in the past by pushing improvements to work release programs and inmate rehabilitation initiatives.
  
  In fact, thus far, the rights of the indigent and the accused have become hallmarks of his policy agendas. Among other things, Guillory favors scrapping the state’s charity hospital system and replacing it with a privatized system where the money follows indigent patients to private medical facilities. The rights of senior citizens represent another focus and he once filed a resolution to bring awareness to elder abuse. He has also advocated for special grandparent visitation rights in regards to custody disputes.
  
  In the Senate, Guillory is hoping to broaden his policy reach. During his 2009 campaign, Guillory told voters he wanted to key in on budget issues and education. He is now also in his first leadership role as vice chairman of the Senate Insurance Committee, where he is expected to play a high-profile role.