Benny Rayburn

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Benjamin Burras "Benny" Rayburn, Jr.
Sheriff of Washington Parish, Louisiana, USA
In office 1981 – July 1992
Preceded by	Robert Lyons
Succeeded by	Duane Blair
Born	December 23, 1944(1944-12-23) Bogalusa, Washington Parish, Louisiana
Died	December 14, 2006 (aged 61) Franklinton, Washington Parish, Louisiana
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic Party
Spouse	Cidette Lewis Rayburn (born 1946)
Children	Benjamin Avery "Benjy" Rayburn (born 1967) Robby Rayburn (1972-2000) Two grandchildren
Occupation	Sheriff Steward for Louisiana Racing Commission
Religion	Roman Catholic
(1) Rayburn assumed the sheriff's office in Washington Parish when the incumbent was forced to resign because of a narcotics scandal. (2) Rayburn benefited from the political success of his father, Sixty Rayburn, but could not match the senior Rayburn's longevity in Louisiana politics.

Benjamin Burras Rayburn, Jr., known as Benny Rayburn (December 23, 1944 - December 14, 2006), was the Democratic sheriff of Washington Parish, the easternmost of the Florida Parishes of southeastern Louisiana, who served from 1981-1992. He was the only son of legendary Louisiana State Senator B.B. "Sixty" Rayburn, Sr. (1916-2008).

Rayburn, who resided in Bogalusa, the largest city in Washington Parish, won a special election in 1981 to complete the term of Sheriff Robert Lyons, a former Bogalusa municipal juvenile officer, elected in December 1979. Lyons resigned early in his term in a narcotics scandal. On October 23, 1981, he was indicted on twelve counts of knowingly and intentionally securing controlled narcotics by misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge, all in violation of 21 U.S.C. Sec. 843(a)(3) and 18 U.S.C. Sec. 2. Lyons informed authorities that he would plead not guilty on grounds of insanity. He argued that his "actions were not willful and voluntary because he was suffering from the mental disease and defect of [involuntary] drug addiction." Lyons alleged that he had become dependent on prescription drugs because of vomiting, an ulcer, nausea, and stomach pain.^[1]

Rayburn filled out the term of Lyons and was subsequently elected to a full term in 1983. In the 1987 contest for a second four-year term, Rayburn defeated three intraparty rivals to win the position outright with 10,366 votes (58.3 percent). Rayburn, Sr., on the same ballot for the state Senate, polled within Washington Parish 13,003 votes (76.8 percent), nearly 3,000 more than his son drew in the sheriff's race.^[2]

In 1991, Rayburn was forced into a second round of balloting, called the Louisiana general election even though his opponent was a fellow Democrat, Duane Blair. Rayburn led with 7,425 votes (43.5 percent) to Blair's 5,093 (29.8 percent). Republican Johnnie M. Holcomb (born ca. 1932) of Bogalusa, who polled 3,132 votes (18.4 percent), was among three other primary candidates eliminated in the October 19 jungle primary.^[3] In the November 16 general election, Blair upset Rayburn, 9,884 votes (51.4 percent) to 9,332 (48.6 percent).^[4]

In 2003, Rayburn unsuccessfully sought election to the District 75 seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives, a position held by his father from 1948-1951. He finished third in the all-Democratic jungle primary with 1,959 votes (15.2 percent). The seat went to Harold L. Ritchie, who was reelected in 2007.^[5]

Rayburn graduated in 1962 from Bogalusa High School. He attended Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond but did not graduate. When he was not sheriff, Rayburn was state steward for the Louisiana Racing Commission. He also was a horse trainer and worked for a time for the Office of Rural Development and the B.B. "Sixty" Rayburn Correctional Institute in Washington Parish.^[6]

Rayburn died of a heart attack near Franklinton, the seat of Washington Parish. He was married to the former Cidette Lewis and was the father of one son, Benjamin Avery "Benjy" Rayburn (wife: Michelle) of Denham Springs in Livingston Parish. He had two grandchildren. He was predeceased by his mother, Hazel Blanchard Rayburn (1918-2001) and younger son, Robert B. "Robby" Rayburn (July 14, 1972-March 25, 2000, an automobile accident victim).^[7] Services were held at Annuciation Catholic Church in Bogalusa. Interment was in Palestine Cemetery in Washington Parish, where his parents are also buried. ^[8]

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