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Bobby Ray Simpson (born June 6, 1953) is an educator who served as the Republican Mayor-President, a combined municipal-parish office of East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, from 2001–2004. Earlier, he was the mayor of the small city of Baker east of Baton Rouge in East Baton Rouge Parish, having served from 1992–2000. In 2001, Simpson succeeded the retiring Tom Ed McHugh as Mayor-President by defeating Melvin "Kip" Holden, an African American Democrat in the 2000 general election. Holden then unseated Simpson in 2004 and was easily reelected in the nonpartisan blanket primary in 2008. Simpson did not seek a comeback; instead Holden was opposed by two other Republican candidates, Metro council member Wayne Carter and the former Louisiana legislative auditor and Louisiana State University professor Dan Kyle. A native of East Baton Rouge Parish, Simpson graduated from Baker High School in 1971〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Baker High School, Baker, LA )〕 and holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from LSU in Baton Rouge. He is a nonpracticing Certified Public Accountant. Simpson and his wife, the former Allison Windham (born 1954), have four children. They still reside in Baker and are affiliated with the non-denominational Christian church, the Bethany World Prayer Center. He is a golfer and a runner.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Biographical Information )〕 Simpson was elected mayor of Baker in 1992 over the Democrat Frank C. Blackburn. In the primary, he led with 1,997 (32.4 percent) to 1,147 (31.1 percent). Two other Democratic candidates held the remaining nearly 37 percent of the vote.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Louisiana election returns, March 10, 1992 ) 〕 In the general election, Simpson defeated Blackburn, 2,100 (54.4 percent) to 1,762 (45.6 percent).〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Louisiana election returns, April 11, 1992 ) 〕 In 1996, Simpson defeated a fellow Republican, Lamon L. Moody, Jr., 2,022 (82.6 percent) to 425 (17.4 percent).〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Louisiana election returns, March 12, 1996 ) 〕 Simpson was unopposed for a third term as mayor in March 2000, but he served less than a year thereafter upon winning election as East Baton Rouge Mayor-President. In the seeking the greater position, Simpson claimed that he had saved the city of Baker millions through careful budgeting and financial management.〔 Six candidates, four Republicans and two Democrats, contested the October 2000 primary for Mayor-President. Democrat Holden led with 34,780 (31.2 percent), and Simpson trailed with 27,928 (25.1 percent). Republican Rolfe H. McCollister finished third with 21,850 votes (19.6 percent). Three other candidates held the remaining 24 percent. One of those unsuccessful candidates was Fred Columbus Dent, Jr. (1937–2010), a former Green Beret and the son of the late Louisiana Register of State Lands Lucille May Grace. He drew 6 percent of the vote.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Louisiana election returns October 7, 2000 ) 〕 Simpson then defeated Holden in the November 7 general with 93,952 (56.9 percent) to 71,087 (43.1 percent). Simpson outpolled Republican presidential nominee George W. Bush in East Baton Rouge Parish, who received 89,128 votes (52.7 percent).〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Louisiana election returns, November 7, 2000 ) 〕 Mayor Simpson was elected in 2002 as president of the Louisiana Municipal Association, having succeeded Ned Randolph of Alexandria in Rapides Parish.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=LATA Newsletter )〕 He was also president of the Louisiana Conference of Mayors. Early in 2004, he unveiled a 10-year plan endorsed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors with the goal of ending chronic homelessness in Baton Rouge. Simpson endorsed the Samaritan Initiative, an effort to tap into community-wide resources to move the homeless from the streets and temporary shelters into houses.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Mayor President Bobby Simpson . . . On H.R. 4057 )〕 Faced with crime problems, Simpson was active in the organization of a task force to catch suspected serial killer Derrick Todd Lee. Caught after ten months as a fugitive in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2003, Lee waived extradition and was returned to Baton Rouge. The case caused Baton Rouge police to re-examine cases previously excluded because there were no DNA connections.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=The Politics of Murder: Will Baton Rouge Clean House? )〕 By the time he sought reelection as Mayor-President, Simpson's political fortunes had plummeted. In addition to Holden, five other opponents filed for the office. Holden led in the primary with 39,470 (35.1 percent) to Simpson’s 38,206 (33.9 percent).〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Louisiana election returns, September 18, 2004 ) 〕 In the general election, Holden unseated Simpson, 94,802 (53.9 percent) to 81,142 (46.1 percent). Simpson trailed the second President Bush in his reelection bid by 18,801 ballots in East Baton Rouge Parish.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Louisiana election returns, November 2, 2004 ) 〕 Simpson began his career as a teacher and dean of students at the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired in Baton Rouge. On November 30, 2009, he returned to that institution as the interim director, pending a national search for a permanent director. Simpson is certified as a school principal, supervisor of student teachers, and instructor of the blind and partially sighted. Prior to his latest appointment, Simpson had been chief operations officer at JTS Realty Services.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=State of Louisiana, Department of Education, Special School District ) 〕 Simpson was hired at JTS by developer Tommy Spinosa.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Where Are They Now? )〕 ==References== 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Bobby Simpson (Louisiana politician)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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