Gary Beard

Who is Gary Beard?

Gary James Beard is a former conservative Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from East Baton Rouge Parish who was handily defeated in his bid for lieutenant governor in the jungle primary held on October 20, 2007. Beard ran third in the race with 130,935. The incumbent, Democrat Mitchell "Mitch" Landrieu of New Orleans, was reelected with 57 percent of the vote. Also running was a second Republican, Country music singer Sammy Kershaw of Abbeville, the seat of Vermilion Parish in southwestern Louisiana, who drew 30 percent of the ballots.

Beard holds a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.

Beard won a special election on August 18, 2001, to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Republican State Representative Chuck McMains. Five Republicans ran in the special election in the heavily Republican District 69. Beard and David Boneno, a member of the Baton Rouge Metro Council, advanced to the runoff because no one polled a majority in the initial balloting. Beard then defeated Boneno, 4,093 to 2,847. Boneno had the support of McMains and Republican Governor Murphy J.