Rep. Willmott, Thomas P (R)
District# 92, Kenner

• District # 92: House District 1
• Party: Republican
• Caucus Membership:Jefferson Parish Legislative Delegation
  Louisiana Republican Legislative Delegation
• Occupation: Attorney; Registered Nurse
• Education:Southeastern Louisiana University, B.A., Government; Southern University Law Center, J.D.; Louisiana State University School of Nursing, A.D. in Nursing; Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office Training Academy, graduate
• Spouse: Sherry
• Year Elected: 2007
• Last Year Eligible(Term Limit): 2020
• 2007 Election
• Republican Tom Willmott nearly won the three-candidate field primary having garnered 46 percent of the votes. Michael McMyne, an author and pharmaceuticals representative, made the runoff with Willmott. Third-place finisher Michael Austin, a democrat, endorsed Willmott in the runoff; the Times-Picayune endorsed Republican McMyne before the primary election. Willmott handily defeated McMyne in the runoff by a margin of almost two to one.
  

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• Economic: This district encompasses south and central Kenner and a sliver of west Metairie and River Ridge. The largest employer in the district is the Louis Armstrong International Airport, which provides hundreds of jobs for residents. The airport, serving as a staging area, was closed for a long period of time after Hurricane Katrina, and other businesses took some time to reopen. This district did not have any flooding from Hurricane Katrina, just structural damage from the winds.
• Another big economic factor in the district is Esplanade Mall. This retail center is frequented by customers from throughout the New Orleans metropolitan area and the River Parishes. Petrochemical plants along the Mississippi River also employ some residents. Located just outside the district, a riverboat casino has had a significant economic impact on Kenner, as it produces millions of tax dollars and employs many of this district’s residents.
• Social: Unlike some of its neighboring districts, District 92 is home to an ethnically diverse population. Kenner has a significant African American and growing Hispanic population, residing in older neighborhoods along the Mississippi River. Many residents are retired or are nearing retirement.
• Political: Most of this district’s neighbors are overwhelmingly Republican, and Republicans do have a significant presence here. However, due to this district’s large minority population and large numbers of union and blue-collar voters, Democrats almost always prevail. Because the Democrats are not opposed to voting for a Republican, many GOP candidates have also faired well.

• A former reserve deputy in the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Thomas Willmott replaces term-limited Glenn Ansardi. An attorney and registered nurse, Willmott has practiced law for 19 years and has worked in several hospitals in patient care and management.
• He is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association and the Louisiana State Nurse’s Association. Actively involved in many civic and community associations, Willmott is a Kenner Charter Review Committee member and a Kenner Playground Booster Club member. In his spare time, Willmott enjoys Saints and LSU football, Chapelle High School basketball and outdoor events.
• The five important planks to Willmott’s platform are drainage and roads, healthcare, criminal law, insurance and tax reform and education. Willmott wants to fight Louisiana’s staffing shortage in health care by offering school grants as an incentive for health care students, in exchange for an agreement to work in the area for a certain amount of time and by offering nonrefundable tax credits to health care workers, to attract them to areas with shortages. Look for Willmott to support more training and financial support for police, to reduce taxes and to increase the homestead exemption.
• While Willmott has shown an interest in education matters, he has also been hammering away at health care topics in recent years. He’s responsible for adding nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists to the Medical Malpractice Act and the Medical Malpractice Act for State Services, and he authored significant changes in 2009 to the Healthcare Professional Development Program.