Kip Holden

Melvin Lee "Kip" Holden
Mayor-President of East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana
Incumbent
Assumed office 2005
Preceded by	Bobby Simpson
Louisiana State Senator from District 15
In office 2002–2004
Preceded by	Wilson Fields
Succeeded by	Sharon Weston Broome
Louisiana State Representative from District 63
In office 1988–2002
Succeeded by	Avon R. Honey
Personal details
Born	(1952-08-12) August 12, 1952
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Lois Stevenson Holden
Children	Melvin, II, Monique, Angela, Myron, and Brian-Micheal Holden
Alma mater	Southern University Southern University Law Center Louisiana State University
Occupation	Journalist; Lawyer

Melvin Lee "Kip" Holden (born August 12, 1952) is the Democratic Mayor-President of East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, USA. The parish includes the state capital of Baton Rouge and smaller suburban cities like Baker, Central City and Zachary.

Biography

Holden was elected mayor-president on November 3, 2004, when he unseated the Republican incumbent, Bobby Simpson of Baker. Holden was inaugurated on January 3, 2005.

The 2004 race was Holden's third attempt to win the mayor-presidency. In 1996, he had failed in a bid to unseat Democrat-turned-Republican Mayor-President Tom Ed McHugh of Zachary, later the executive director of the Louisiana Municipal Association.

Holden's election is significant in that he is the first African-American Mayor-President of East Baton Rouge Parish. His election was fostered through the support of his urban black base but also with substantial support from suburban white, many being Republicans. Support from the latter group was buoyed by the support of Jim Bernhard, CEO of The Shaw Group, and other figures in business and industry, but largely a result of dissatisfaction with Mayor-President Simpson. This was demonstrated in dramatic fashion by the fact that President Bush received 54 percent of the parish vote in his re-election campaign, and Congressman Baker received 69 percent. Holden in the same election matched Bush's 54 percent parishwide total.

On taking office, Holden retained Walter Monsour, a Republican lawyer originally from Shreveport, as the chief administrative officer, even though Monsour had supported Simpson's reelection. Monsour told Holden that he would take the position if Holden agreed to treat all areas of the parish equally whether or not those precincts voted for Holden. Monsour had held the same post twenty years earlier in 1985 under then Democratic Mayor-President Pat Screen and was credited with resolving fiscal problems that developed in Screen's second term. Early in 2009, Monsour stepped down as CAO and was replaced by his assistant, former Republican State Representative Mike Futrell, a Baton Rouge native.

Holden is a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition, an organization formed in 2006 and co-chaired by Mayors Michael Bloomberg of New York City and Thomas Menino of Boston, Massachusetts.

In 2008, Holden was inducted into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield.

Professional history

Previous to his political career, Holden was a journalist and later an attorney. His resume reads, accordingly:

• Louisiana State Senator from District 15 (2002-2004)

• Southern University Law Center - Baton Rouge, Adjunct Professor of Law (1991–Present)

• Louisiana State Representative from District 63 (1988–2002)

• Member of the Baton Rouge Metro Council from District 2 (1984–1988)

• Louisiana Department of Labor, Clerk in the Workers' Compensation Office

• Baton Rouge City Police, Public Information Officer

• United States Census Bureau, Public Relations Specialist

• WBRZ Channel 2, Baton Rouge - Reporter (1978–1979)

• WWL Radio, New Orleans - Reporter (1977–1978)

• WXOK Radio, Baton Rouge, News Director (1975–1977)

Education

• Southern University Law Center, Baton Rouge, Juris Doctor (1985)

• Southern University, Baton Rouge, Master of Arts in Journalism (1982)

• Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Bachelor of Arts in Journalism (1974)

Campaign 2012

Holden handily won reelection in the nonpartisan blanket primary held in conjunction with the national election on November 6, 2012. One of his opponents, Republican J. Michael "Mike" Walker, Sr., a member of the Metro Council, questioned Holden and the city-parish for having provided security services for Louis Farrakhan when the Nation of Islam spokesman addressed a group on October 3 at Southern University. Walker's advertisement includes a video of Farrakhan thanking Holden and the police chief for security services and Farrakhan's escort to Baton Rouge from the airport in New Orleans.

With 115,305 votes (60 percent), Holden defeated three opponents. Walker finished second with 65,972 ballots (34.3 percent). Two Independents held the remaining 5.7 percent of the vote.

Personal life

Holden is married to the former Lois Stevenson and has five children, Melvin, II, Monique, Angela, Myron, and Brian-Micheal.

External links

• Office of the Mayor-President
• Mayors Against Illegal Guns homepage

Political offices
Preceded by Bobby Ray Simpson	Baton Rouge Mayor-President Melvin L. "Kip" Holden 2005–	Succeeded by Incumbent
Preceded by Wilson Fields	Louisiana State Senator from District 15 Melvin L. "Kip" Holden 2002–2004	Succeeded by Sharon Weston Broome
Preceded by Missing	Louisiana State Representative from District 63 (East Baton Rouge Parish) Melvin L. "Kip" Holden 1988–2002	Succeeded by Avon R. Honey