Dale M. Erdey

Dale Michael Erdey (born December 6, 1954) is a real estate and insurance agent in Livingston, Louisiana, who is a Republican member of the Louisiana State Senate from District 13 (East Baton Rouge, Tangipahoa,^[1] and mostly Livingston parishes). He has served since 2008 and holds the seat vacated by the conservative Republican Heulette Fontenot.

Background

A native of Hammond in Tangipahoa Parish, Erdey is a former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, having served two terms from 2000 to 2008 in District 71 in Livingston Parish. He graduated from Doyle High School in Livingston.^[2] In 1976, Erdey received a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.^[3] From 1993 to 1997, Erdey was elected mayor of Livingston. His father was also mayor of Livingston.^[2]

Erdey is a member of the Greater Denham Springs Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis International, the Masonic lodge, and the National Rifle Association. He is active in the Livingston United Methodist Church.^[1][3]

Erdey has two children,^[3] Lindsey E. McCaskill and husband Brian, and Ashlyn E. McMorris and husband Cody.

Legislative service

In the 1999 House primary to pick a successor to Representative Heulette Fontenot, who ran for the state Senate, Erdey led four Democrats, having polled 6,719 votes (42.2 percent). The runner-up was Kathleen Dawkins with 4,932 votes (30.1 percent). Two others held the remaining 27 percent of the ballots.^[4] In the general election,

Erdey defeated Dawkins, 7,070 (60.5 percent) to 4,614 (39.5 percent).^[5] Erdey was unopposed for his second term in the House and for his first term in the state Senate.

During 2010-2011, Erdey served on these committees: (1) Capital Outlay, (2) Enivronmental Quality, (3) Health and Welfare, (4) Revenue and Fiscal Affairs, and (5) Transportation, Highways, and Public Works as the vice chair.^[3] In 2010, Erdey supported the positions of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry 59 percent of the time. In 2009 and 2010, he backed the Louisiana Family Forum 89 percent. In 2009, he was ranked 100 percent by the Louisiana Right to Life Federation. In 2001, as a House member, Erdey was rated 0 percent by Louisiana Planned Parenthood. In 2011, Erdey voted to make permanent an increase in the state tobacco tax, but the veto of the measure by Governor Bobby Jindal was upheld by the legislature.^[3]

Erdey claims to have voted to reduce taxes by more than $1 billion in the six legislative sessions prior to 2012. He voted to repeal the Stelly Plan, a state income tax and sales tax transfer plan authored by former Representative Vic Stelly of Lake Charles. He advocates repeal of the state inheritance and gift taxes. He has also worked to increase funding for public education and major highway and major infrastructure projects in his district and voted to triple his salary.^[1]

Reelection in 2011 and 2015

Erdey won Senate reelection in the primary election held on October 22, 2011. He defeated his fellow Republican Derek Babcock, 19,831 (64.8 percent) to 10,785 (35.2 percent). No Democrat ran in the district.^[6]

Erdey won his third and final Senate term in 2015 with 16,731 votes (64.6 percent) to 9,181 (35.4 percent) for his opponent, fellow Republican Derek Babcock.^[7]

References