Suzanne Haik Terrell

Suzanne Haik Terrell
Louisiana Elections Commissioner
In office 2000 – 2004
Preceded by	Jerry Marston Fowler
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Member of the New Orleans City Council
In office 1990s – 1990s
Personal details
Born	1954 New Orleans, Orleans Parish Louisiana, USA
Political party	Republican
Alma mater	Newcomb College Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Occupation	Attorney
Religion	Roman Catholic

Suzanne Haik Terrell (born 1954) is a Louisiana lawyer who failed in a high-profile Republican bid for the U.S. Senate in 2002 and for state attorney general in 2003. She was the state's last commissioner of elections, having served from 2000 to 2004. In 2005, President George W. Bush named Terrell to a position in the Economic Development Administration.

Early life

She is a native of New Orleans, and received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the Newcomb College of Tulane University in 1976. In 1984, she received her Juris Doctor degree from the Loyola University New Orleans College of Law in New Orleans.

Elections Commissioner

Terrell was a Republican city councilwoman in New Orleans during the 1990s. In November 1999, she was elected as Louisiana elections commissioner. She defeated a fellow Republican, Louis E. "Woody" Jenkins of Baton Rouge, in the general election -- 437,817 (59%) to 302,261 (41%). However, Jenkins had led in the primary, 26 percent to 22 percent. Incumbent Democrat Jerry Fowler of Natchitoches, engulfed in scandal, ran third and was eliminated in the primary. In 1996 Jenkins had opposed Terrell's would-be Senate opponent, Mary Landrieu, but lost by about 4,000 votes.

As elections commissioner, Terrell streamlined department operations and advocated the merging of her office with the secretary of state, who already oversaw some elections operations. She was successful in abolishing her office as her term ended in 2004.

2002 Senate election

Terrell challenged freshman Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu's bid for reelection. Terrell made it into the general election with Landrieu. Eliminated in the primary were Congressman John Cooksey of Monroe and Tony Perkins, a state representative from East Baton Rouge Parish and later the head of the conservative think-tank, the Family Research Council.

The Landrieu-Terrell matchup was the last Senate race decided that year. Terrell's campaign attracted national attention, including visits from President George W. Bush and his father, George Herbert Walker Bush, and Vice President Richard Cheney. Terrell had been an elector for the Bush-Cheney slate in 2000.

Landrieu was reelected largely on the basis of her 79,000-vote plurality in Orleans Parish. She polled roughly 42,000 votes ahead of Terrell statewide, defeating her 52-48 percent.

In a debate with Landrieu in 2002, the senator lashed out at Terrell and told her the Senate race would be "her last campaign", but it was not. In 2003, Terrell ran unsuccessfully for attorney general of Louisiana, losing to a Democrat backed by the Landrieu family, Charles C. Foti, Jr., the former Orleans Parish criminal sheriff. Foti received 54 percent of the vote to Terrell's 46 percent.

References

• http://www.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcms2&rqsdta=102399
• http://www.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcms2&rqsdta=100403
• http://www.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcmp&rqsdta=12070214012601

Political offices
Preceded by Jerry Marston Fowler	Louisiana Elections Commissioner Suzanne Haik Terrell 2000–2004	Succeeded by Office abolished; duties assumed by Secretary of State