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District Office
Legislative Assistant : Becky Morris
Email Francis Thompson
Phone: (318) 878-9408
Fax: (318) 878-5650
Address: P.O. Box 68
Delhi, LA 71232
Map
Capitol House Switch Band: (225) 342-2040
Capitol House Fax: (225)342-0650
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- District # 34: House District 0
- Party: Democrat
- Caucus Membership: --
- Occupation: Farm and Cattle Business
- Education: Delhi High School; B.S. & M.S., Louisiana Tech University; Ed.D., Northeast Louisiana University
- Spouse: Marilyn
- Year Elected: 2008
- Last Year Eligible(Term Limit): 2020
- 2007 Election
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Registered Voters by Parish:Concordia 4.1%, East Carroll 8.5%, Madison 12.7%, Ouchita 52.0%, Richland 15.8%, Tensas 7.0%
Municipalities/Communities Represented: Brownsville-Bacomville, Clayton,
Delhi, Delta, Ferriday, Lake Providence, Monroe, Mound, Newellton, Rayville, Richmond, Richwood, St. Joseph, Swartz, Tallulah, Waterproof, West Ferriday, West Monroe
- Louisiana Map
- District Map
- Metro Map
- Economic: District 34 includes all of East Carroll, Richland, Tensas and Madison parishes and a portion of Ouachita Parish. Monroe is the District’s largest city. Ouachita Parish is designated as a “Renewal Community” by the federal government. This status allows for generous tax incentives to current and future businesses. Major employers in the area include the University of Louisiana at Monroe, State Farm Insurance, General Motors headlamp plant, Alltel and the Panola Pepper Corp. Ports at Lake Providence and in Madison Parish are continuing to develop. The rural areas along the Mississippi and Ouachita rives are heavily agricultural and cotton is the dominant crop.
- Social: The district contains a few upper and middle-income neighborhoods in Monroe; however, it is generally characterized by extreme poverty, with close to one-third of the region living below the federal poverty line.
- The impact of the 2005 Hurricanes was seen in both a temporary and long-term population increase. This increase has resulted in more services for families in need and other services provided at the state, parish and local levels.
- Political: With black voters in the majority, the District is safely Democratic. Among white voters, however, support for Republican candidates is equally strong.
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- Francis Thompson was one of the longest-serving members of the House of Representatives, second only to John Alario, having been elected to the House from district 19 in 1975. Unable to run for reelection, Thompson, like many of his House colleagues, ran for a seat in the upper chamber vacated by Charles Jones, also due to term limits.
- Thompson received the LMA Legislator of the Year and President’s Award and the Legislator of the Year from the Rural Hospital Association. Other honors include the La. Police Jury Association’s Friends of the Parish, the La. Rural Caucus Achievement Award and recognition in the Monroe NewsStar Top 10 Businessmen.
- Thompson will be one of the most senior lawmakers at the State Capitol and use his influence to champion rural and agricultural causes. In the House, Thompson worked to pass the Louisiana Center for Rural Initiatives. Sustaining rural areas and encouraging the effective use of resources are among the center’s goals.
- Thompson also works to bring medical professionals to rural areas, create economic development opportunities and also to lower insurance premiums and taxes on businesses. He supports landowners’ rights, specifically farm and timberlands. Education issues are Thompson’s other cause, especially higher education, considering his years of classroom experience.
