William Daniel (Louisiana politician)

William Buchanan Daniel, IV (born November 6, 1955), is a petroleum engineer and businessman from Baton Rouge, Louisiana,^[1] who is a former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 68 in East Baton Rouge Parish. He served as a Democrat from 1996 to 2005 and as a Republican from 2005 to 2008.^[2] In May 2015, he was listed as a registered Independent voter by the Louisiana Secretary of State.^[3]

Background

Daniel was born in Wharton in Wharton County near Houston in southeastern Texas. In 1978, he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in petroleum engineering from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. He subsequently obtained Master of Science degrees in petroleum engineering and environmental studies from LSU. He obtained a Master of Business Administration from the University of Tulsa in Tulsa, Oklahoma. From 1994 to 1999, he was a research associate at the LSU Center for Energy Studies. Since 1999, he has been president of C-K Associates. He is a member of the Society for Petroleum Engineers.^[1]

He has served on the boards of both Baton Rouge Community College and the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council. In 1997, he graduated from the program "Leadership Louisiana" sponsored by the Council for a Better Louisiana. He is an Episcopalian. He and his wife, the former Lynda Hiltz, have five children.^[1]

Political life

Daniel was elected to the state House of Representatives in the 1995 general election over Republican Sandra Bologna Ribes, 9,224 votes (52.9 percent) to 8,973 (47.1 percent). The seat was vacated by the Democrat Sean Reilly. Daniel and Ribes had led six other candidates in the nonpartisan blanket primary held a month earlier and hence entered the second round of balloting.^[4] In 1999, Daniel won a second term with 87 percent of the vote over an Independent candidate, Glenda Natale.^[5] In 2003, Daniel ran without opposition. In 2004, he ran unsuccessfully in the primary for the Baton Rouge Mayor-President consolidated position. He finished third with 27,662 votes (24.6 percent). Victory went to the African-American Democrat Kip Holden, whom Daniel endorsed in the general election. Holden is a candidate for lieutenant governor in the October 24, 2015 primary election.^[6]

As a legislator, Daniel was rated 57 to 63 percent by the American Civil Liberties Union, 38 to 43 percent by the conservative Louisiana Family Forum, 75 percent by Planned Parenthood of America, 82 percent from the Humane Society, and 89 to 100 percent by the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, and 71 percent by the National Federation of Independent Business.^[7]

In his last two years in office, Daniel voted for a pay increase for statewide elected officials. He voted to increase liability insurance rates. He opposed revisions to the state building code. He voted for restrictions on all-terrain vehicles, but the measure died on a 50-50 vote in the House. He was among only sixteen House members to vote against the measure, signed into law by Governor Kathleen Blanco, which requires women considering an abortion be provided complete information regarding the availability of anesthesia needed for fetal pain. He voted against a gift ban on elected officials in regard to sporting and cultural events. Daniel voted against a proposed ban on the use of cell phones while driving; the measure failed, 43-48. He voted against restricting the number of passengers who can ride with a teen-aged driver.^[8]

In 2007, three Republicans but no Democrats entered the House District 68 race to choose a successor to Daniel. Lobbyist Kyle Ardoin, a Republican-turned-Democrat-returned-Republican, led the field with 5,531 votes (41 percent) to Steve Carter's 5,242 (38.9 percent). Jay Lyles received the remaining 2,705 votes (20 percent)s.^[9] In the second balloting on November 17, which had a lower turnout because of the lack of a gubernatorial contest, Carter prevailed by 87 votes, 4,967 (50.4 percent) to Ardoin's 4,880 (49.6 percent).^[10]

After Daniel left the legislature, Mayor Holden named him to the six-month interim position as director of public works.^[11] However, Daniel stayed at public works for the full second term of Mayor Holden. In 2012, Holden elevated Daniel to his chief administrative officer, a position Daniel still holds.^[12]

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