Joseph F. Toomy

Joseph Francis Toomy, known as Joe Toomy (born May 4, 1948), is a self-employed insurance broker from Gretna, the seat of Jeffersons Parish, Louisiana, who served as the District 85 member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1984 until term-limited in 2008.^[2][3][4] Toomy was a Democrat from 1984–1990, when he switched to Republican registration. Thereafter, he was elected in the nonpartisan blanket primaries of 1991, 1995, 1999, and 2003 on the GOP label. Prior to his legislative career, Toomy was a Democratic member of the Jefferson Parish School Board from 1974–1983 and the Louisiana Constitutional Convention, a year-long nonpartisan position, in 1973. There he served with future Governor Buddy Roemer and later Insurance Commissioner James H. "Jim" Brown. In March 2009, Governor Bobby Jindal appointed Toomy to the board of the New Orleans Port Authority.^[5]

Toomy, a Roman Catholic, was born to Francis X. Toomy (1914–1989), formerly of New Jersey,^[6] and Dorothy N. Toomy (born ca.1920) of Gretna. He graduated in 1966 from Archbishop Shaw High School in Marrero in Jefferson Parish. Thereafter, he received B.A. and M.B.A. degrees from Tulane University in New Orleans. He was a Tulane administrator from 1976–1981 and was also a private tax consultant. He was named "Outstanding Young Man of the Year" in 1977 by the Jaycees. Toomy is married to the former Jo Ann Fisk (born September 7, 1943).^[7]

Representative Toomy was named "Legislator of the Year" in 1991 and 1995 by the interest group, the Alliance for Good Government. In 1987, he was honored as "Boss of the Year" by the Westbank Business and Professional Women. Active in the community, he is a former vice president of the Gretna Senior Citizen Management Board. He is affiliated with the David Crockett Volunteer Fire Company and is a past president of the Friends of the Louisiana State Fire Museum. He is a member of the Gretna Historical Society and the Archbishop Shaw High School trustees.^[7] Toomy sits on the board of New Orleans Catholic Charities.^[8]

In 1987, Toomy won his second legislative term, 5,539 votes (52.3 percent) to 5,057 (47.7 percent) for fellow Democrat Olden Toups.^[9] In 1991, Toomy in his first run as a Republican defeated fellow Republican challenger, Lynn R. Cheramie, 6,966 (62.2 percent) to 4,232 (37.8 percent).^[10] In 1995, Toomy defeated fellow Republican Don James, 7,591 (73.3 percent) to 2,763 (26.7 percent).^[11] In 1999 and 2003, Toomy was unopposed for reelection.^[12]

In 2008, Toomy was a maximum contributor to the Republican presidential nominee U.S. Senator John McCain of Arizona.^[13] He also donated in 2008 to the 2010 reelection campaign of Louisiana Republican Senator David Vitter.^[14]

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