-
District Office
Legislative Assistant : Donna Lacombe
Email Lowell C.Hazel
Phone: (318)767-6082
Fax: (318)767-6084
Address: 1013 Main Street
Pineville, LA 71360
Map
Capitol House Switch Band: (225) 342-6945
Capitol House Fax: (225)342-8336
-
- District #: House District 1
- Party: Republican
- Caucus Membership: Louisiana Republican Legislative Delegation
Louisiana Rural Caucus - Occupation: Attorney
- Education: Holy Cross High School, New Orleans, 1983;
B.A. Political Science, University of New Orleans, 1990;
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center of U.S. Border Patrol Academy, Artesia, New Mexico, 1992;
J.D., Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Lansing, Michigan, 2000 - Spouse: Karen
- Year Elected: 2007
- Last Year Eligible(Term Limit): 2020
- 2007 Election
Hazel surprised many by completely shutting down the campaign of incumbent Rick Farrar, a Democrat, taking home more than 62% of the vote during the 2007 primary. For the most part, Hazel attacked Farrar using Farrar’s own legislative record.
-
Registered Voters by Parish: Rapides 100.0%
Municipalities/Communities Represented: Ball, Cheneyville, Deville, Forest Hill, Glenmora, McNary, Pineville
- Louisiana Map
- District Map
- Metro Map
Other major employers of those living in the district are manufacturing plants owned by Procter and Gamble and others. There is also a large valve plant in Tioga and the International Paper Mill in Pineville.
Social: The district is primarily working class in nature, with a small percentage of black registered voters. For the most part, the district is split between Catholic and Protestant voters.
Political: Residents of District 27 are subject to a number of political influences that make this an ever-changing electorate during campaigns. Voters tend to be populist on economic issues, thanks to the heavy concentration of blue-collar and government workers and the presence of some union activity. They are, however, conservative on social issues. Republicans have swept nearly all of the statewide elections in recent years here, including the 2003 governor’s race, where Kathleen Blanco won overall but Bobby Jindal carried House District 25. The organized business community and labor unions have a strong voice in this district as well.
-
- Republican Chris Hazel, a native of Ball, replaces Rep. Rick Farrar. He was most recently an assistant district attorney in the Rapides Parish District Attorney's Office, but also served as an ADA in Grant Parish as well.
- Prior to clerking for the 9th Judicial District Court, Hazel had an interesting background. He previously worked as a U.S. Border Patrol agent with the Chula Vista Station in San Diego and as a clinical associate at the JoEllen Smith Psychiatric Hospital in New Orleans. Politics, however, have always been in his blood – since his first gig in 1991, which was an internship for then-Congresswoman Lindy Boggs.
- Furthermore, Hazel was a U.S. Marine Corps infantryman at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in California from 1983 to 1986, meaning military affairs will be close to his heart during his tenure in the House.
- As a member of the budget-drafting Appropriations Committee, he’ll play a central role in how the state approaches its forecasted shortfalls. He’s also keen on the crime front, passing bills in 2009 that strengthened the crimes of domestic abuse battery and computer-aided solicitation of a minor.
- Looking ahead, Hazel campaigned on various problems with his C-shaped district, arguing it’s among the most gerrymandered in the state. As such, expect him to attempt to take an early role in the approaching redistricting process.
 jpg/La27.JPG){kind=link}