Donald Ray Kennard

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Donald Ray Kennard

Louisiana State Representative (District 69)
In office 1976 – 2008
Succeeded by	Clif Richardson

Born	August 11, 1937 (1937-08-11) (age 70) Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic Party from 1976-1995; Republican Party since 1995
Spouse	Ramona Norris "Mona" Kennard
Occupation	Retired educator and assistant LSU athletic director
Religion	Baptist

Donald Ray Kennard (born August 11, 1937) is a former educator and a politician who has represented part of East Baton Rouge Parish in the Louisiana House of Representatives since 1976. Originally a Democrat, Kennard switched his partisan affiliation in 1995, when he won the first of three terms as a Republican.

In the 1987 jungle primary, Kennard defeated the Republican Michael "Mike" Harig, 10,310 (69 percent) to 4,693 (31 percent). In 1991, when his District 65 also included a precinct from neighboring Livingston Parish, Democrat Kennard defeated the Republican Kenneth "Ken" Wood, 8,092 (58 percent) to 5,908 (42 percent). Kennard was then unopposed as a Republican in 1995 and 1999. He was a big winner in the 2003 primary, when he defeated the Democrat Wade Byrd, 9,329 (73 percent) to 3,482 (27 percent). Term-limited, Kennard cannot seek a ninth four-year term in the October 20, 2007, primary.

Kennard is a since recognized Hall of Fame graduate of Central High School in Baton Rouge. He obtained his bachelor's degree from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond in Tangipahoa Parish, where he has been a past alumni association president. He received a master's degree in education from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. While serving in the legislature, Kennard has been the assistant athletic director at LSU. A licensed counselor, Kennard is a past president of the American Professional Guidance Association and a member of the National Association of Academic Advisors. He is included in Who's Who in Louisiana.

In 2003, the conservative Kennard was elected national chairman of the American Legislative Exchange Council. ALEC is the nation’s largest organization of state legislators and claims to be dedicated to developing policies based on the Jeffersonian principles of free markets, limited government, federalism, and individual liberty.

In 1996, as a new Republican, Kennard authored and obtained passage of "Truth In Sentencing" legislation, which mandates that a person convicted of a violent crime must serve 85 percent of the sentence. The change virtually abolished "good time." For his work in passing the legislation, Kennard received the "Crime Fighter of the Year" award from the organization Victims and Citizens Against Crime. He was also recognized by the Law Enforcement Association of America for his support of local, state, and national law enforcement in authoring and passing the first legislation in the nation to protect officers injured on the job by inmates. ALEC considers this too model legislation. Kennard was a strong supporter of former East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff Elmer Litchfield, a Republican who served for twenty-three years before retiring late in 2006. Kennard first became affiliated with ALEC in 1992, when he was still a Democrat. He has served on the board of directors and was the organization's state chairman in 1994. He is the first national officer from Louisiana.

In 2005, Kennard was among twenty-one legislators who toured areas ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. The lawmaker said: "To me, it just looks like swampland. There's not even the remnants of homes for blocks. . . I think it should make all of us humble. It should make all of us sympathetic. It should make all of us thankful for what we have been spared." The legislators toured the area three days before they convened for a special session called by Democratic Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco to consider hurricane-recovery issues.

Kennard is married to the former Ramona "Mona" Norris. He is Baptist.

Both of the state House candidates who sought to succeed Kennard in the October 20, 2007 primary are Republicans. Clif Richardson defeated Edward Clark, 8,610 (67 percent) to 4,193 (33 percent).