Bryan Adams (politician)

Bryan Joseph Adams (born November 1, 1962) is a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 85, which encompasses Gretna, the seat of suburban Jefferson Parish and Terrytown, where Adams is the former volunteer fire chief.

In his announcement of candidacy in 2011, Adams, a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, cited his priorities as crime fighting, flood protection, tackling erosion of the coastal wetlands, and support for emergency services. He pledged accessibility to constituents.^[1] In a low-turnout primary election held on October 22, 2011, Adams defeated his opponent, real estate agent and fellow Republican Stephen Leonard, 3,924 (57.2 percent) to 2,948 (42.8 percent).^[2]

Adams is a 1981 graduate of River Oaks Academy in Belle Chasse in Plaquemines Parish.^[3] He holds certificates in firefighting from federal, state and local governments through Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and the United States Department of Homeland Security.^[1]

Adams sells fire trucks as his principal job. He has declared bankruptcy three times—1988, 2000, and 2006. He indicated that he has paid his creditors entirely. This personal experience, he said, shows that he can overcome financial turmoil.^[4]

Adams said the he will work to control blight by the removal of buildings which pose fire hazards or become a haven for crime. Adams proposed in his campaign that the state impose greater penalties for derelict property owners than those within the local code enforcement. Adams considers himself "a boots on the ground kind of guy" in the legislature.^[4]

Adams succeeded Republican Representative Ricky Templet of Gretna, who did not seek reelection but instead was elected to the Jefferson Parish Council.

Adams is divorced from his first wife and has two adult children. He is married to salon owner Jennifer Boutwell and has two stepchildren. ^[1]

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