Senate’s Newest Member Takes Oath

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — The Louisiana State Senate has added its newest member. Republican Jonathan Perry, of Kaplan, took his oath of office Friday, for a position he won in a special election last month. Perry had been in the state House. His election to the vacant state Senate seat gave the GOP control of the chamber for the first time since Reconstruction. A lawyer and professional comedian, Perry is representing an Acadiana area district that includes all or parts of Vermilion, Acadia, Lafayette and St. Landry parishes. Democrat Nick Gautreaux resigned from the seat in December to become commissioner of the Office of Motor Vehicles. The Senate now has 20 Republicans and 19 Democrats with Perry's election to the 26th District seat. The GOP also controls the state House.