Rep. Wooton, Ernest D (R)
District# 105 , Belle Chasse

• District # 105: House District 1
• Party: Republican
• Caucus Membership:Acadiana Delegation
  Jefferson Parish Legislative Delegation
  Louisiana Republican Legislative Delegation
  Louisiana Rural Caucus
• Occupation: Oilfield PR
  
• Education: Port Sulphur High School; Attended LSU, Northwestern State University
  
• Spouse: Linda
• Year Elected:1999
• Last Year Eligible(Term Limit):2012
• 2007 Election
  With the exception of his first election, Wooton has easily defeated his opponents with greater than sixty percent of the vote. In the 2007 election, this straight shooter hit the mark even better by garnering seventy-seven percent of his constituents’ support.
  

• Louisiana Map
• District Map
• Metro Map
• Economic: This district includes all of Plaquemines parish along with a small portion of St. Charles parish and a few precincts in Jefferson parish. Hurricane Katrina caused significant wind damage to this district, and its storm surge temporarily flooded the area. Many residents make a living off of the district’s natural resources, primarily as fishermen. A large group of these commercial fishermen are based out of Lafitte, Venice, Empire and Buras. Marinas and other businesses that service the commercial and recreational fishermen provide a steady income for some residents. Chevron and Conoco-Phillips reign as the district’s largest petrochemical refineries, and they provide good jobs for many residents. Energy-drilling is common in the coastal bays of this district as well as just offshore from it.
• Social: The residents in this district live in average homes that located in rural areas and in small towns. For the most part, no extremely poor or wealthy people make up this district’s constituency but rather the residents are working class or middle class. With many Italian, Croatian and Cajun descendants this district is like a gumbo pot of ethnicity.
• Political: African Americans used to be an extreme minority in this district because Plaquemines parish was the mainstay of arch segregationist Leander Perez. Even though African Americans now account for only about fifteen percent of the population, they play an active roll in the political process. However, the district’s number of registered Republicans continually increases making the constituency conservative in nature.

• Ernest Wooton is entering his third and final term as the state representative from the state’s most southeastern district. Prior to his legislative career, Wooton served as the sheriff of Plaquemines parish for two terms. Wooton does not file much legislation as he believes in small government, but when he does author a bill, you can bet on it dealing with one of three issues – law enforcement, coastal erosion or education.
• Wooton has handled some legislation dealing with benefits for retired sheriffs. His district incurred a large amount of wind damage and storm surge erosion from Hurricane Katrina; therefore, his primary concern since then has been coastal erosion. His wife a public schoolteacher, Wooton always supports measures that improve education in the classroom.
• As chairman of the House Criminal Justice Committee, Wooton will again be pushing concealed weapons as a policy issue in coming sessions. Specifically, he wants to help Louisiana shore up its reciprocity agreements with other states and maybe even land a few new ones. Wooton also wants to add to the types of certifications required to be an instructor that trains individuals for the issuance of a concealed handgun permit.
• A former Democrat, Wooton switched his political party affiliation to Republican during the 2004-2008 term. Prior to his switch, he had the support of both LABI and the AFL-CIO, as his voting record reflected a balance between both associations. After becoming a member of the GOP, his voting record obviously became more conservative. Having served this past term as vice chairman of the Environment committee and as a senior member of the House, Wooton is in line for a leadership position.