Sen. Robert W. Kostelka (R)
District# 35,

• District # 35 : House District 0
• Party: Republican
• Caucus Membership: --
• Occupation: Attorney, Retired Louisiana District Judge
• Education: Byrd High School; Centenary College; B.S., Louisiana State University; J.D., LSU Law
• Spouse: Felicia
• Year Elected: 2004
• Last Year Eligible(Term Limit): 2016
• 2007 Election
  Robert Kostelka managed reelection without opposition during this most recent election cycle. Prior to that, he was one of only three newly-elected senators to beat a sitting incumbent. Kostelka won his first term in the Senate in 2003 by besting Sen. Bill Jones of Ruston. The business community desperately wanted to oust Jones, who, during his first term in the Senate, supported taxes and legislation viewed as unfriendly to business. It was a mistake noted by Kostelka and plays largely in his policymaking and voting pattern.
  

• Louisiana Map
• District Map
• Metro Map
• Economic: District 35 is an area of great contrast. It stretches from rural communities in northern Jackson Parish to elite and tony neighborhoods residing the uppermost tip of Monroe. Despite having pockets of less-educated constituencies, the district supports three universities: Louisiana Tech, Grambling and a portion of University of Louisiana at Monroe.
  Agriculture is a big economic driver for the rural areas, with timber representing the most dollars. Soybeans, cotton and corn also are grown and harvested in the district, but the jewel of the region is the storied Ruston peach.
  The district is a flash point for free trade policies and agribusiness trends, showing impacts long before other areas in the state. As such, the region has long struggled against cheaper, foreign crops and is dealing with a steady out migration stream of residents.
  Graphic Packing, Vantage Health Plan and Chase are among the top employers, although overall industry is on the decline. Elsewhere in the district, there’s a large concentration of small businesses in West Monroe and Ruston.
• Social: District 35 is largely middle-income, although parts of Jackson Parish struggle with poverty. Religion is the biggest social influence in the district. A majority of residents are Protestant and weekly church services represent an unbroken ritual for practically every household. Ruston is also a partially-dry city. Residents all across the district refuse to tolerate threats to their beliefs and conservative ways.
• Political: Small businesses and the state’s largest business group, LABI, play a huge role in local politics. Labor unions also have an influence, thanks to a few big businesses and production mills. It’s a unique balance, but overall, voters are cut from a socially conservative cloth in this district.

• Robert William Kostelka, a Republican, is a retired district and appellate court judge.
  It was the district’s dire downturn in jobs that spurred Kostelka to run for the Senate and his focus rarely turns from economic development and education. However, he is frequently consulted in the upper chamber, whether on the floor or in private, on a variety of legal matters and referred to simply as “Judge” by many colleagues. He will serve as the Chair of the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee.
  He actively supports repealing portions of the so-called Stelly Plan and has grown increasingly passionate on tax issues. In fact, look for Kostelka to be a strong business ally in coming years, especially when it comes to quickening the repeal of the franchise tax and sales tax on equipment and machinery.
  Kostelka is also a champion for northeast Louisiana’s three universities. He wants each one to specialize in a key area and then team up with area businesses to foster growth and development. Particularly, he is keenly interested in Louisiana Tech and its focus on engineering and biosciences.