Taylor Barras
| Taylor Francis Barras | |
|---|---|
| Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives | |
|
Assumed office January 11, 2016 |
|
| Preceded by | Chuck Kleckley |
| Louisiana State Representative for District 48 (Iberia Parish) |
|
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Assumed office January 14, 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Errol Romero |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 1957 (age 60) New Iberia, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party |
Democratic (Before 2011) Republican (2011–present) |
| Spouse(s) | Cheryl Lopez Barras |
| Residence | New Iberia, Louisiana |
| Alma mater | Louisiana State University |
| Occupation | Accountant; banker |
Taylor Francis Barras (born January 1957) is an accountant and banker from New Iberia, Louisiana, who is a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 48, based in Iberia Parish. On January 11, 2016, as he began his third term in the chamber, Barras was elected House Speaker by his colleagues, who in what was considered a political upset on the second ballot rejected Representative Walt Leger, III, of New Orleans, the choice of incoming Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards. Barras received fifty-six votes; Leger, forty-nine. Since the days of Huey Pierce Long, Jr., legislators had confirmed the governor's choice for Speaker, but the Republican House majority instead elected Barras, the governor's wishes to the contrary.
A New Iberia native, Barras (pronounced BAH RAH) is the third of four children of Mazel Borel Barras (1924-deceased) and Elton Joseph Barras (1923-2007), a decorated United States Army first lieutenant in World War II, who operated a country grocery store from 1951 until 1969 and was then from 1969 to 1983 the chief deputy under Iberia Parish Tax Assessor Clegg J. LaBauve, Sr. (1906-1987). The senior Barras was elected to succeed LaBauve as tax assessor in 1983; he handily defeated Erland "Ticky" LaBauve (born May 1947) and held the position from 1984 until his retirement in December 2000.
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