Sen. Joe McPherson (D)
District# 29,

• District #29: House District 0
• Party: Democrat
• Caucus Membership: --
• Occupation: Business Owner, Retail, Healthcare, Commercial Property
• Education: Pineville High School; Louisiana State University; B.A., Northwestern Louisiana
• Spouse: Karen
• Year Elected:2000
• Last Year Eligible(Term Limit):2012
• 2007 Election
  Democrat Jerry M. Guillory ran against McPherson in his past three elections. Once again, McPherson defeated Guillory, this time by a margin of almost three to one.
  
  

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• Economic: District 29 is made up of nearly all of Rapides Parish. The two major cities in the district, Alexandria and Pineville, are the trade centers of central Louisiana. The government and timber industries employ most of the residents in the district. Healthcare, correctional, military and educational facilities that are operated by state and federal agencies also provide jobs for many residents. Manufacturing plants that make products from timber are located in the district as well as hundreds of wholesale nurseries that distribute plants nationwide. The municipal airport located in the transportation park at the old England Air Force Base provides a significant economic impact as does the Port of Alexandria.
• Social: Having a strong population of Christians, this district is home to several major religious events, buildings and organizations. In Tioga, Pentecostals hold their annual state meeting. Louisiana College in Pineville is operated by Louisiana’s Southern Baptists. The United Methodist Church operates a large conference center in Woodworth. This district combines many different social classes of residents.
• Political: This district remains fairly politically balanced. Although registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans by about sixty to forty percent, a good number of conservative, pro-business Republicans can influence an election, as shown in many close national and statewide races.

• The longest serving member in the Senate, Joe McPherson is now entering his final term. McPherson, a businessman and nursing home owner, served as the state senator from District 29 from 1984 to 1996, then left his senate seat to run unsuccessfully for the Public Service Commission and was re-elected to the Senate in 2000. He is a lifelong resident of Rapides parish, and was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army Reserves.
• A strong supporter of Gov. Kathleen Blanco, he was the Finance Committee Vice-Chairman and Health and Welfare Committee Chairman during the 2004 to 2008 term.
• With experience in everything from farming and natural gas to water usage, McPherson is the archetype of the classic rural lawmaker. Most of his policy work, however, focuses on bridges, roads and ports since he’s chairman of the Senate Transportation, Highways and Public Works Committee. In that position, he has found new ways to implement the design-build method and is interested in exploring a so-called “enhanced driver’s license" for Louisiana. McPherson also has good government on the mind and passed a constitutional amendment in 2009 that would prohibit certain elected officials from enjoying any statutory increase in salary until their next term.
• Senate District 29 has benefited from having McPherson as its senator, as he has authored legislation creating the Alexandria Port Authority, the England Economic District, a four-year LSU at Alexandria and the Alexandria-Pineville Loop study. An avid outdoorsman, McPherson has always fought for wildlife and fisheries and natural resources. He has authored bills for the right to hunt, fish and trap, pre-emptive legislation to prevent local gun control, the creation of three new wildlife management areas and public control of White Lake. In honor of his efforts, he received the Governor’s Award for conservation achievement in 2005.