Rick L. Farrar

Rick Lamar Farrar, known as Rick L. Farrar (born 1960), is an attorney in Pineville, Louisiana, who served as the Democratic state representative from District 27 in Rapides Parish from 1992–1996 and again from 2000-2008.

In 1991, Farrar unseated long-term Democratic incumbent Carl Newton Gunter, Jr., of Deville in the eastern portion of the parish, 7,729 votes (57 percent) to Gunter's 5,929 (43 percent), exactly 1,800 votes.^[1] Gunter ran into organized opposition from feminist groups who oppose his pro-life stance. On October 21, 1995, Farrar was unseated by the Republican Randy E. Wiggins of Pineville, a State Farm Insurance agent in Alexandria. Wiggins received 6,350 votes (51.1 percent) to Farrar's 6,077 (48.9 percent).^[2] Wiggins is the first Republican ever elected to the Louisiana House from Rapides Parish since the days of Reconstruction.^[3]

In 1999, Farrar staged a comeback when Wiggins ran, not for reelection, but to the Louisiana State Senate seat vacated by B.G. Dyess, who retired after a single term. Wiggins narrowly lost to former Senator Joe McPherson, a businessman then from Pineville and later Woodworth. On October 23, 1999, in the nonpartisan blanket primary, often called the jungle primary, Republican school board member Randall Bryan "Randy" Tannehill (born 1960), also of Pineville, led Farrar, 4,442 (41.4 percent) to, 4,088 (38.1 percent). A third candidate, Democrat Pete Ferrington of Pineville, polled a critical 2,208 votes (20.6 percent).^[4] In the ensuing general election, Farrar topped Tannehill, the son of Fred L. Tannehill (born February 6, 1932), a former member of the Louisiana State Board of Education. Farrar led 4,318 (54.6 percent) to Tannehill’s 3,595 (45.4 percent). Because of low turnout in the second round of balloting, without a gubernatorial contest, Farrar underpolled his primary totals by 124 votes; Tannehill, by 493 ballots.^[5]

In 2003, Farrar won again, 7,072 (61 percent) to Pete Ferrington’s 4,519 (39 percent).^[6] In 2005, Farrar was listed as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee under chairman Bryant O. Hammett, Jr., of Ferriday in eastern Louisiana.^[7] In 2006, Farrar was among the lawmakers who spoke for passage of the Pet Evacuation Act, authored by State Senator Heulette Fontenot of Livingston Parish. The legislation was approved after the heartbreak of abandoned pets in natural disasters surfaced during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.^[8] After Katrina, Farrar spoke out in 2005 against state assistance to keep the New Orleans Saints football within the state. According to Farrar, "There's no political will I have been able to find to give them anything at this point. Instead of showing the can-do spirit of getting back on their feet, they took off. That shows a tremendous lack of character."^[9]

In 2007, Farrar was crushed as he sought his fourth nonconsecutive term in the House by Republican newcomer Chris Hazel, 9,330 votes (62.5 percent) to 5,611 (37.5 percent).^[10] Hazel became only the second Republican since Wiggins to hold the District 27 seat since Reconstruction.

Farrar practices law in the firm of Farrar & Farrar.

References