Quentin Dastugue

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Quentin D. Dastugue (born December 1955) is a founding partner and the chief executive officer of the New Orleans-based real estate firm Property One, Inc., and a former four-term member of the Louisiana House of Representatives. Dastugue (pronounced DAS TOOG) was elected as a Democrat to the state House in 1979 and 1983 as the District 82 representative for Jefferson Parish. In 1984, as he began his second term, he switched his affiliation to the Republican Party to support the Ronald W. Reagan and George Herbert Walker Bush ticket. As the chairman of the House Committee on Transportation, Highways, and Public Works, Dastugue authored and secured passage of the state Transportation Trust Fund and the TIMED program. In 1994, Dastugue received one of eleven national "Legislator of the Year" awards.

In 1990, Dastugue announced that he would run as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in a bid to unseat popular Democratic incumbent J. Bennett Johnston, Jr., of Shreveport. When the Republican State Central Committee endorsed state Senator Ben Bagert of New Orleans as the official party choice for senator, Dastugue abandoned plans to make the race. Bagert later withdrew from the contest, and Johnston defeated the remaining Republican hopeful, controversial state Representative David Duke of Jefferson Parish, a former member of the Ku Klux Klan.

In 1995, rather than seeking a fifth term in the legislature, Dastugue entered the gubernatorial race as the early official choice of the Republican State Party. However, he withdrew from the governor's race when he failed to make headway in the race to raise money. Thereafter, most GOP leaders coalesced behind state Senator Murphy J. "Mike" Foster, Jr., of St. Mary Parish, who switched from Democratic to Republican affiliation during the campaign. Two other Republicans, also former Democrats, were in the race, former Governor Charles Elson "Buddy" Roemer, III, who had upset the right-to-life contingent of the party, and, David Treen. Ultimately, Foster won the election.

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[edit] Education and business experience

Dastugue earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. Upon his graduation in 1977, he returned to his native New Orleans to assume a position as commercial leasing manager for Medallion Management, Inc., with responsibilities for office buildings and shopping centers. In 1983, he joined Property Network, Inc., and progressed from investment sales broker to vice president of the commercial sales division to senior vice president for Louisiana, Florida, and Texas. In 1985, he founded Property One, a full service commercial real estate firm that has grown to be one of the largest firms in the region with over five offices across South Louisiana.

Dastugue's commercial real estate experience includes leasing, investment sales, development, property management, construction project management, and consulting. He has also served on numerous civic organizations and real estate industry committees. He was honored by the Jefferson Board of Realtors as "Realtor Associate of the Year". He served on the board of directors of WYES public television and the New Orleans Regional Chamber of Commerce. He sits on the board of the Idea Village, and the Audubon Institute. In addition to his engineering credentials, Dastugue is a graduate of the Loyola University Institute of Politics. He has also been a youth basketball and softball coach for his three daughters for more than twenty years.

[edit] Dastugue called for levee board reforms

As a legislator, Dastugue was a leader of a small group who questioned the accountability fo the levee board system of controlling the Mississippi River levees. He filed bills to reform the levee boards year after year during the 1980s, when then Democratic Governor Edwin Washington Edwards was at the zenith of his power. Dastugue said that establishment politicians ridiculed his reform attempts. Dastugue was, unfortunately in his view, vindicated by the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina. "What bothered me the most was seeing intelligent people turn their backs on such an important public service," Dastugue said of his earlier efforts on behalf of stronger levees.

[edit] Elections of 1979, 1983, 1987, 1991, and 2003

Dastugue first election was in 1979 when he defeated a two term incumbent. Dastugue won with over 60% of the vote at the age of 23 becoming the third youngest person ever elected to the Louisiana Legislature.

In 1987, Dastugue won his first election as a Republican by a large margin in his metropolitan district. He received 7,210 votes (64 percent) to 3,432 ballots (30 percent) for the Democrat Dale Cannizzaro. A second Republican, J. W. West, polled the remaining 6 percent.

In 1991, in his last election, Dastugue polled 8,456 ballots (73 percent), to 3,089 (27 percent) for Democrat Alfred J. "Al" Ferry. Ferry ran again in 1995 but lost by nearly the same margin to Dastugue's successor, fellow Republican Steve Scalise.

Dastugue is married to the former Penny Matherne, now an elected member of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Education from District 1 (the New Orleans suburbs). Mrs. Dastugue, also a Republican, won the seat in the November 15, 2003, general election. She polled 57,205 votes (54 percent) to Democrat Barbara Ferguson's 48,729 ballots (46 percent). A second Republican candidate, incumbent Donna Contois, was eliminated in the first primary the preceding month.

Quentin and Penny Dastugue (born 1959) reside in Mandeville in St. Tammany Parish. They have three daughters Kaitlin, Margaux, and Allison.

Preceded by
Harold Toca		 Louisiana State Representative from District 82 (Jefferson Parish)
1980–1996		 Succeeded by
Steve Scalise

[edit] External links

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