Joel Robideaux

Joel Craig Robideaux (born October 5, 1962) is a politician and accountant from Lafayette, Louisiana,[1] who was the president of the Lafayette Parish government from 2016 to 2020, when he didn’t seek re-election.

Joel Craig Robideaux
Mayor-President of Lafayette
In office July 18, 2016 – January 6, 2020
Preceded by	Joey Durel
Succeeded by	Josh Guillory
Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from the 45th district
In office August 8, 2004 – July 18 , 2016
Preceded by	Jerry Luke LeBlanc
Succeeded by	Jean-Paul Coussan
Speaker Pro Tempore of the Louisiana House of Representatives
In office March 2010 – January 2012
Preceded by	Karen Carter Peterson
Succeeded by	Walt Leger, III
Personal details
Born	October 5, 1962 Lafayette, Louisiana, US
Political party	Republican (2011-present) Independent (until 2011)
Spouse(s)	Bobette M. Robideaux
Children	3
Alma mater	University of Louisiana at Lafayette (BS) Louisiana State University (MS)
Occupation	Certified Public Accountant

First an Independent, Robideaux is a former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 45 in Lafayette Parish. In 2010, he was narrowly elected Speaker Pro Tempore of the chamber, the first Independent ever to hold that position.[2]

On September 1, 2011, Robideaux announced that he was joining the Republican Party. Earlier Robideaux was chosen Speaker Pro Tempore over Democrat Noble Ellington of Winnsboro, who later switched to Republican affiliation. The contest became open with the resignation of Democratic Representative Karen Carter Peterson, who instead became a state senator.

In the heated campaign to choose Peterson's successor, Speaker Jim Tucker removed Representative John Schroder of Covington in St. Tammany Parish from the House Appropriations Committee because Tucker claimed that Schroder had reneged from a prior pledge to support Robideaux, instead of Ellington. Schroder denied having ever made such a commitment.[3]

Background

A Lafayette native, Robideaux graduated from the Roman Catholic Our Lady of Fatima High School and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, then known as the University of Southwestern Louisiana. He obtained a master's degree in finance from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Robideaux coaches youth sports and has taught accounting on an adjunct basis at ULL. He was the charter president of Kiwanis International of Vermilion. He is a former board member for Camp Bon Coeur and Habitat for Humanity. He and his wife, Bobette M. Robideaux, have three sons.[4] In 2007, Robideaux and his then Louisiana State Senate colleague Michael J. Michot of Lafayette sponsored the transportation bill to fund priority road projects.

Legislative service

Robideaux was first elected to the House in a special election held in the spring of 2004 to succeed Democrat Jerry Luke LeBlanc, who resigned to become the commissioner of administration under Governor Kathleen Blanco of Lafayette. Robideaux finished second in the special election, with 1,622 votes (27 percent). Leading the five-candidate field was Republican Steven G. "Buzz" Durio, with 1,850 votes (30.9 percent). Two other Republicans, Denice Comeaux-Skinner and L. T. "Butch" Dupre, and another Independent, Beverly Broussard Wilson, polled the remaining but critical 42 percent of the vote. No Democrat ran that year.[5] In the second balloting on April 17, Robideaux defeated Durio, 2,751 (55 percent) to 2,223 (44.7 percent).[6]

Unopposed for a second term in 2007, Robideaux served on these committees: (1) Retirement, (2) Ways and Means, (3) Appropriations (ex officio by virtue of being Speaker Pro Tempore), (4) Joint Legislative Committee on Capital Outlay, (5) Legislative Budgetary Control Council, (6) House Executive Committee (ex officio), and (7) Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget (ex officio).[7]

In 2010, Robideaux voted 100 percent with the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry. He supported the Louisiana Family Forum 90 percent of the time in 2010 but only 75 percent in 2009. In 2011, he voted against a failed proposal to ban hand-held cellular devices while driving. He also opposed an increase in the state tobacco tax.[8]

District 45 is heavily conservative, anti-abortion, and Catholic. Included in the district is the southwestern portion of Lafayette Parish, including the city of Scott and the area about the University of Louisiana, the University Medical Center, and the Cajundome.[9]

Speaker candidacy

Robideaux, as a newly declared Republican, was a runaway winner over his lone opponent, Libertarian W. David Chance, in the primary election held on October 22, 2011.[10]

Robideaux was a candidate for Speaker in 2012. On October 25, 2011, Governor Bobby Jindal endorsed Chuck Kleckley of Lake Charles as his choice to succeed the term-limited Jim Tucker.[11] Others seeking the Speakership were Baton Rouge Republican Representatives Hunter Greene and Erich Ponti and Democrat Jeff Arnold of New Orleans.[12] Because the House of Representatives usually confirms the governor's choice as the Speaker, Robideaux soon abandoned the competition.

Outgoing Speaker Tucker, meanwhile, narrowly lost his race against Republican incumbent Tom Schedler for Louisiana Secretary of State in the 2011 primary election.[13]

2015 election

Term-limited in the House, Robideaux was elected in the October 24, 2015 primary as the mayor-president of Lafayette Parish. He defeated another Republican candidate, Dee Stanley, 31,624 (55.7 percent) to 25,156 (44.3 percent).[14]

Meanwhile, two Republicans, Andre' Comeaux and Jean-Paul Coussan, met in the November 21 runoff election to choose a House successor to Robideaux.[15] Coussan emerged victorious, 5,765 votes (51.2 percent) to Comeaux's 5,505 (48.8 percent).[16]

References

1. "Rep. Joel Robideaux, CPA". Lagniappe. 40 (8). March 2015. p. 8. Retrieved 2015-04-12.
2. "Joel Robideaux Becomes Louisiana's First Independent Speaker Pro Tempore". youtube.com. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
3. "Rep. John Schroder says he "never lied" to House speaker about pro-tem vote, April 6, 2010". nola.com. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
4. "Joel Robideaux: State Representative". joelrobideaux.com. Archived from the original on January 24, 2012. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
5. "Louisiana special election legislative returns, March 9, 2004". staticresults.sos.la.gov. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
6. "Louisiana special election runoff legislative returns, April 17, 2004". staticresults.sos.la.gov. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
7. "Rep. Joel C. Robideaux". house.louisiana.gov. Archived from the original on May 27, 2011. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
8. "Rep. Joel C. Robideaux". votesmart.org. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
9. "Rep. Robideaux, Joel C." mobilelgs.com. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
10. "Louisiana primary election returns, October 22, 2011". staticresults.sos.la.gov. Retrieved October 22, 2011.
11. "Jindal to support Kleckley in speaker race". wwl.com. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
12. "Mark Ballard, "Greene joins candidates for speaker of La. House"". Baton Rouge Morning Advocate. Retrieved July 14, 2011.
13. "Term-limited Tucker seeking Secretary of State". theind.com. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
14. "Results for Election Date: 10/24/2015". Louisiana Secretary of State. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
15. "Results for Election Date: 10/24/2015". Louisiana Secretary of State. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
16. "Results for Election Date: 11/21/2015". Louisiana Secretary of State. Retrieved November 27, 2015.