Posted on 12/11/2016 12:57:14 PM PST by BBell
The "Cajun John Wayne" is on his way to Washington, D.C.
Louisiana voters in Acadiana and Lake Charles voted Saturday (Dec. 10) to replace U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany, R-Lafayette, with tough-talking former sheriff's captain Clay Higgins over Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle in the all-Republican runoff.
Higgins, like Donald Trump, has no experience as an elected official and had never run for office. He became a celebrity, largely because of videos he recorded while working for the St. Landry sheriff that went viral and gained national attention. An internet sensation, Higgins is often referred to as the "Cajun John Wayne."
Higgins and Angelle emerged from a crowded field of 12 candidates in the Nov. 8 primary. Angelle had been expected to be the clear frontrunner, but got only 29 percent of the primary vote and led Higgins by just 3 percentage points, despite having more money and experience running campaigns.
In many ways, this congressional runoff looked like a replay of the presidential race, except with two conservative Republicans running against each other. Like Hillary Clinton, Angelle has spent decades in public life. He's served as a parish president, member of the LSU Board of Supervisors, state natural resources secretary and lieutenant governor, among other roles. He worked for two Louisiana governors: Kathleen Blanco and Bobby Jindal.
Higgins burst on the scene with the tough guy persona that seemed to capture voters' attention.
Higgins is also not without personal controversy. He was forced to leave his job with the St. Landry parish sheriff after his boss objected to the language Higgins used in some promotional videos. Higgins referred to potential criminals as "animals" he intended to hunt down in at least one spot. The sheriff was also upset with Higgins selling mugs, shirts and other merchandise
(Excerpt) Read more at nola.com ...
St. Landry Crime Stoppers looking for thief who broke into Stelly's Supermarket
A little off topic; I’m surprised that small towns in Louisiana are still being called ‘parishes’. So many people today seem hard wired to show fear, revulsion and discomfort at any mention of the Christian Church no matter what the reason.
I was looking to see if they caught the guy. Some on the internet thought this might be an ad for Coke
It’s not the towns. Louisiana doesn’t have Counties, they have Parishes.
Best news I've heard this weekend!
Higgins said he loves Sheriff Bobby Guidroz. He admires him and respects him, but he can’t abide by his current orders.
“I would die rather than sacrifice my principles,” Higgins says. “I would leave my wife without a husband, my children without a daddy, rather than kneel to the very forces of evil that I have so long stood against.”
http://www.katc.com/story/31343894/clay-higgins-leaves-the-st-landry-parish-sheriffs-office
Higgins is very good in front of the camera. Very convincing.
The subtle product placement of a Coca-Cola delivery truck driving up behind him is good too.
Only problem I had was his thick southern accent.
It sounded good, but I could have used subtitles.
*best news that he won
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCo4xJynCZ8
Captain Higgins: “America United”
I’ve lived a lot of places and Louisiana is by far the most “unique”. 49 states have counties, Louisiana has Parishes. 49 states base their laws on English common law. Louisiana laws are based on the Napoleonic Code.
Great video.
This is going to be an interesting story to see playout. He has a rude awakening when he gets to the Swamp.
I agree. I don’t think the back stabbing career Politicians will accept this guy with open arms.
And we have “Police Juries” instead of county commissions.
http://www.lpgov.org/PageDisplay.asp?p1=3010
Origins of the Police Jury
Louisiana is unique in the nation in that it has parishes which are governed in most cases by police juries. Parishes correspond to counties and police juries to county boards of commissioners or similar local governing bodies in other states.
Once Louisiana had counties. Shortly after the Louisiana territory was purchased by the United States, the newly created Legislative Council met in 1804 and divided the state into 12 counties. These were Orleans, German Coast, Acadia, LaFourche, Iberville, Pointe Coupee, Concordia, Atakapas, Opelousas, Rapides, Natchitoches and Ouachita.
These counties proved too large for satisfactory administration and in 1807, the state was divided into 19 parishes based, for the most part, on the boundaries of the 21 ecclesiastical parishesas they existed under Spanish rule in the late 18th century. Thus parish became the local government district.
Government of the 19 parishes was at first along lines established for the counties wherein county judges served as the chief governing officers. In 1807, the Legislative Council and House of Representatives of the Territory of Orleans revised the parish form of government. A 12-member jury was created to serve with the parish judge and the justice of peace, both of the latter being appointive officials. This body was charged with responsibility for “execution of whatever concerns the interior and local police and for administration of the parish.”
Another step was taken in 1810 when legislation created the office of sheriff for each parish and provided that he be paid from the “police assembly of the parish.” An 1811 act made members of the police assembly elective and officially designated this body as a “police jury.” Powers of the judges were reduced and justices of peace were made ex officio members. (In 1824, justices of peace were dropped from the police jury membership.) Two years later, in 1813, legislation provided for wards within parishes and for election of members from wards to serve on the police juries. (Members were to serve without compensation and to be subject to a fine for non-attendance.)
Parish judges continued to serve on police juries as ex officio presidents until 1830 when legislation excluded them from jury membership. Police juries were gradually given added powers over the next two decades and began to function much as they do today. The Louisiana Constitution of 1845 dropped all references to counties.
I didn’t know any of that. Thanks. I suspect, even though the terms are based on Spanish Church terms of the 18th Century, it would still be quite a battle to change that custom.
Of course, I never expected the Confederate Flag to be largely thrown under the bus of censored history either.
If you ever visit New Orleans, save a day to visit The Cabildo, a museum in Jackson Square. Immense amount of Louisiana history there.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cabildo
“Parish” means “county”, not town. New Orleans is Orleans Parish; Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish.
Lee if you aren’t familiar with the Cajuns then read the short excerpt at the following link
They were a major influnce in South Louisiana and have a very unique culture. It’s
almost as if you took a line east/west along IH-10 to the south would be the cajuns .
http://www.vrml.k12.la.us/8th/8_ss/ss_curr/unit5/cajunquiz1/cajuns.htm
My paternal grandmother was 1/2 cajun. Daigle, a very common Louisiana name. Her mother was an Irishwoman.
I have a sister-in-law that’s full blood Cajun.
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