Retired UNO Professor Wins Uncontested Legislative Seat

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Retired University of New Orleans Professor Polly Thomas has secured a seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives after signing up as the lone candidate to fill the vacancy left by Rep. Joe Lopinto.

Thomas, a 69-year-old Republican from Metairie, has long expressed an interest in the Louisiana Legislature. This is her first time running for state representative, but she's filed to run for state senator five times between 1999 and last year.

The Advocate reports qualifying for the House District 80 race representing Jefferson Parish ended Friday and Thomas won the seat by default, when she drew no challengers.

Thomas said she will be paying close attention to funding and reform potential in the areas of higher education and pre-Kindergarten through 12th-grade education.

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Information from: The Advocate, http://theadvocate.com

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