| Samuel Bernard Nunez, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Louisiana State Senator from District 1 (now Jefferson, Plaquemines, St. Bernard parishes) | |
| In office 1969 – 1996 |
|
| Preceded by | E. W. "Kelly" Gravolet, Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Lynn Dean |
| Louisiana State Senate President | |
| In office 1983 – 1988 |
|
| Preceded by | Michael H. O'Keefe |
| Succeeded by | Allen Bares |
| In office 1990 – 1996 |
|
| Preceded by | Allen Bares |
| Succeeded by | Randy Ewing |
| Louisiana State Representative from St. Bernard Parish | |
| In office 1964 – 1969 |
|
| Preceded by | Elmer R. Tapper |
| Succeeded by | Elmer R. Tapper |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 27, 1930 |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Elaine P. Nunez (deceased) |
| Children | Christie Lee Nunez |
| Residence | Chalmette St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, USA |
| Occupation | Businessman |
Samuel Bernard Nunez, Jr., known as Sammy Nunez (born January 27, 1930), is a Louisiana politician and businessman from Chalmette, the seat of St. Bernard Parish in the New Orleans suburbs. He was a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1964 to 1969. From 1969 to 1996, the Democrat Nunez was a state senator. He was the State Senate President from 1983 to 1988 and from 1990 to 1996, when his legislative tenure ended in defeat.
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Nunez's forebears came from the Canary Islands. He was the son of Sammy Nunez, Sr. (1910–1977),[1] and Leonia Nunez (1912–2002)[1] After the death of the senior Nunez, Leonia married Arthur John Alphonso (1911–1999),[1] a shipyard foreman from Violet in St. Bernard Parish. Nunez has a brother, Hillary Joseph "Tookie" Nunez (born c. 1933).[2]
Nunez had become Senate President in 1982, when Michael O'Keefe of New Orleans was indicted and ultimately convicted.[3]
In 1986, Nunez was among fourteen candidates in the primary for the United States Senate seat vacated by the retiring Russell B. Long. He polled 65,855 (5.9 percent), a distant third place finish. Long's successor was his fellow Democrat, John Breaux, who defeated the Republican choice, U.S. Representative Henson Moore, in a general election showdown.[4]
In 1988, Nunez became the subject of national attention when he met with LSU Chancellor James Wharton regarding the readmission to the university graduate school of a student who is one of Nunez's female relatives. The student, whose identity was not revealed, had been accused of plagiarism and was required to withdraw from LSU for a semester. However, the graduate council required her to withdraw for two years. Dr. Wharton sided with the one-semester suspension and readmitted the student. He thereafter resigned as chancellor and returned to the classroom as a tenured professor of chemistry.[5]
Nunez's service as Senate president was interrupted from 1988 to 1990 by Allen Ray Bares of Lafayette, a leader of the anti-abortion forces in the legislature. Senator Sydney B. Nelson of Shreveport had mounted a challenge for Senate president, but Governor Buddy Roemer, sided with Bares. In 1990, in a slap at Roemer, senators removed Bares as president and returned Nunez to the post.
Senator Nunez's last election victory occurred on October 19, 1991, when he defeated fellow Democrat Mary B. Faucheux, 29,553 (68.2 percent) to 13,793 (31.8 percent).[6] In the 1987 nonpartisan blanket primary, Nunez faced tougher competition, but he prevailed with 23,370 votes (50.7 percent) over six opponents, including the runner-up and only Republican in the field, Lynn Dean, an industrialist from Braithwaite in Plaquemines Parish, who drew 11,916 ballots (25.8 percent).[7]
In the 1995 primary, Lynn Dean led Nunez, 19,794 (46.4 percent) to 15,137 (35.5 percent). A third candidate, Democrat Gilbert Andry, held the remaining 7,773 (18.2 percent).[8] In the general election Dean trumped Nunez, 23,939 (53.7 percent) to 20,682 (46.3 percent). In that same election Republican Mike Foster won the governorship over the Democrat Cleo Fields.[9]
Senator Dean served two terms and was succeeded in 2004 by the Republican, later Democrat, Walter Boasso.
In 2004, Nunez, at seventy-four, pondered entering the race to choose a successor to the retiring U.S. Representative Billy Tauzin in the 3rd congressional district, but he never entered the race, ultimately won by the Democrat Charles Melancon.[10] Tauzin's second wife, Cecile, served as a legislative aide to Nunez while she was a student at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.[11] In 2006, Nunez was among campaign contributors to both Melancon and the since convicted Democratic U.S. Representative William Jefferson.[12]
Since 2005, Nunez has been a member of the board of commissioners of the Port of New Orleans. [13] [14] He operates an insurance agency.
Nunez and his Senate successor and former rival, Lynn Dean, are honorary members of the Nunez Community College Foundation board of directors in Chalmette. The college is named for Nunez's late wife, Elaine P. Nunez.[15]
On January 30, 2010, Nunez was inducted into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield, along with the late Charlton Lyons and William "Billy" Nungesser as well as sitting U.S. Representative Rodney Alexander, and former State Senator Randy Ewing.[16]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by E. W. "Kelly" Gravolet, Jr. |
Louisiana State Senator from District 11 (Jefferson, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard parishes)
Samuel Bernard Nunez, Jr. |
Succeeded by Lynn Dean |
| Preceded by Michael H. O'Keefe |
President of the Louisiana State Senate
Samuel Bernard Nunez, Jr. |
Succeeded by Allen Bares |
| Preceded by Allen Bares |
President of the Louisiana State Senate
Samuel Bernard Nunez, Jr. |
Succeeded by Randy Lew Ewing |
| Preceded by Elmer R. Tapper |
Louisiana State Representative from St. Bernard Parish
Samuel Bernard Nunez, Jr. |
Succeeded by Elmer R. Tapper |