Carl Crane

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Carl Norman Crane (born October 28, 1939) is the departing Republican chairman of the Education Committee of the Louisiana House of Representatives. He has served in the state House since 1984 from District 70 in East Baton Rouge Parish. Crane was elected as a Democrat to his first term in the House but switched to GOP affiliation to win his second term in 1987.

A computer consultant by profession, Crane obtained a bachelor of arts degree from the University of New Orleans and a Master of Arts from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. He is a veteran of the United States Army. He is married to the former Nancy Burns and is Roman Catholic.

Crane has supported school vouchers to assist families with children in private or parochial schools, but the legislature has rejected the plan on the grounds that it would deprive funding from already cash-strapped public schools.

Crane secured his second term in 1987 with 9,048 votes (54 percent) over three opponents, two Democrats and one "No Party" candidate.

In 1991, Crane led the jungle primary with 5,488 votes (39 percent) and went into a contested general election with Democrat Margaret Pereboom, who trailed with 4,366 ballots (31 percent). A third candidate, fellow Republican Steve Myers, received 4,135 votes (30 percent). Pereboom had also run in 1987. In the second balloting, Crane defeated Pereboom, 8,946 (57 percent) to 6,789 (43 percent).

In 1995, Crane won again over Steve Myers, who had dropped the "R" label and ran as "No Party". He prevailed with 8,182 votes (55 percent) to Myers' 6,666 (45 percent). In 1999, Crane won in the primary over Democrat Charles Moore, 8,897 (62 percent) to 5,453 (38 percent).

In 2003, Crane won his sixth and final term with 10,319 votes (74 percent) over two fellow Republicans, Bryce Murray, who received 2,294 votes (16 percent) and Donald Gene Luther, with 1,388 ballots (10 percent). Also, in 2003, Crane was among thirty-three legislators in both houses and parties who endorsed former House Speaker Hunt Downer for governor. Downer, however, ran a weak sixth in the primary election. The governorship ultimately went to the Democrat Kathleen Babineaux Blanco.

Crane will be succeeded by fellow Republican Franklin J. Foil, the winner of the November 17, 2007, general election. Foil defeated a fellow Republican attorney, Pat Culbertson, 5,399 (53 percent) to 4,809 (47 percent) in a small-turnout election. Culberton had nearly won the seat outright in the October 20 primary, with 49 percent to 40 percent for Foil, also a naval reserve commander. A third Republican candidate, self-styled "Reagan conservative" Aidan Reynolds, also an attorney, drew only 11 percent of the vote.