Elbert Guillory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elbert Guillory
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| Member of the Louisiana Senate from the 24th district |
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| In office May 2009 – January 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Don Cravins Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Gerald Boudreaux |
| Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from the 40th district |
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| In office January 2007 – January 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Don Cravins Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Ledricka Thierry |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Elbert Lee Guillory
June 24, 1944 Opelousas, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican (Before 2007, 2013–present) Democratic (2007–2013) |
| Education | Southern University Norfolk State University (BS) Rutgers University, Newark (JD) |
Elbert Lee Guillory (born June 24, 1944) is an American politician. He used to be a member of the Louisiana State Senate, which is part of Louisiana's government. He served as a Republican for District 24, which includes his hometown of Opelousas. He was a state senator from 2009 to 2016. Before that, he was a state representative for District 40 from 2006 to 2009. Elbert Guillory is currently running for a seat in the U.S. Congress in 2024.
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Elbert Guillory's Early Life
Elbert Guillory grew up in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. His father, Ozema, was a businessman who even flew his own airplane. This was very unusual for a Black man in the 1950s. His mother, Frances, was a teacher and a school principal. She taught him important values.
Why Politicians Change Parties
Elbert Guillory has been a member of both the Republican Party and the Democratic Party.
From Republican to Democrat
Before 2007, Guillory was a registered Republican. He was even part of the Louisiana Republican state central committee. In 2007, he changed to the Democratic Party. This happened when he first ran for the state House in District 40, which had many Democratic voters.
Switching Back to Republican
In 2013, Elbert Guillory decided to switch his party back to Republican. He officially changed parties on May 31, 2013. When he accepted an award called the Frederick Douglass Award, he talked about his decision. He compared himself to Frederick Douglass, a famous 19th-century leader who fought against slavery and was a Republican.
Guillory explained his reasons in a video that became very popular. In the video, he said he believed the Republican Party was "the party of freedom and progress." He felt that changing back to Republican was the right choice for him and for other Black Americans.
After rejoining the Republican Party, Guillory started a group called Free at Last PAC. This group helps elect Black conservatives to political offices.
Working with the Legislative Black Caucus
Even after switching back to the Republican Party, Elbert Guillory remained a member of the Louisiana Legislature's Black Delegation. This group is a caucus, which means it's a special group of lawmakers who work together on issues important to the Black community. The chair of the caucus, State Representative Katrina Jackson, confirmed that he was still a member.
Running for Lieutenant Governor in 2015
Soon after changing parties, people wondered if Guillory would run for lieutenant governor in 2015. The lieutenant governor is like a second-in-command for the state.
Guillory ran in the election on October 24, 2015. He finished fourth among the four candidates, getting about 7.9 percent of the votes. Two other candidates, Billy Nungesser and John Young, went on to a second round of voting. Billy Nungesser eventually won the election.
Running for U.S. House in 2016
On January 22, 2016, Guillory announced he would run for the U.S. House of Representatives for Louisiana's 4th district. The person who held that seat, John Fleming, was running for a different office.
Guillory was eliminated from this race after finishing fifth in the primary election on November 8, 2016. He received 7% of the votes and did not make it to the next round.
Community Activities
Elbert Guillory has been involved in many community groups. He served on the boards of directors for the Saint Landry Parish Chamber of Commerce, the local Salvation Army, and the Opelousas Daily World newspaper. He is also a member of the Rotary Club and supports the American Cancer Society.
Guillory is a Catholic and is an active member of Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Opelousas.
See also
- List of American politicians who switched parties in office
