Garret Graves


Garret Neal Graves is the United States Representative from Louisiana's 6th congressional district. In a runoff election on December 6, 2014, Graves, a Republican, defeated the Democratic candidate, Edwin Edwards.

Early life

Garret Graves was born on January 31, 1972 to John and Cynthia Graves, who was of Lebanese descent; his father owns an engineering firm. He is a Roman Catholic. Congressman Graves attended the University of Alabama, Louisiana Tech, and American University from 1990–1996.

Career

Graves served as an aide for nine years to former U.S. Representative Billy Tauzin of Louisiana's 3rd congressional district. He was also a legislative aide to the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, of which Tauzin served as chairman. In 2005, he became an aide for the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, serving Republican U.S. Senator David Vitter. He was the staff director for the United States Senate's Subcommittee on Climate Change and Impacts. He also worked for Democratic former U.S. Senator John Breaux, a protege of Edwin Edwards and Vitter's predecessor in the Senate. He served as a chief legislative aide to the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
In 2008, Governor Bobby Jindal appointed Graves to manage the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. In the position, he negotiated on behalf of the state with British Petroleum over the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. He resigned the position, effective February 17, 2014.

Congress

Elections

In March 2014, Graves announced his intention to run in the 2014 election to the United States House of Representatives for ; incumbent Republican Bill Cassidy successfully challenged incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu.
In the 2014 nonpartisan blanket primary, Edwin Edwards finished in first place with 30 percent of the vote; Graves was the runner-up with 27 percent. Graves and Edwards advanced to the December 6 runoff election. In a runoff election on December 6, 2014, Graves received 139,209 votes to Edwards's 83,781.
In the nonpartisan blanket primary held in conjunction with the national elections on November 6, 2018, Graves handily won his third term in the U.S. House, having led a four-candidate field with 186,524 votes. Democrat Justin Dewitt trailed with 55,078 votes. Two other candidate, Democrat "Andie" Saizan and Independent David Lance Graham, held the remaining 3 percent of the ballots cast.

Congressional matters

In April 2017, Representative Graves became engaged in a public dispute with Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards regarding the disbursement of federal assistance for Louisiana's 2016 flooding victims. Graves, who has been mentioned as a potential challenger to Edwards in the 2019 gubernatorial election, claims that he is "focused on flood recovery... none of the governor's talk is helping flood victims."
Edwards attributed the delay in disbursement of the funds, which began on April 10, to the state's financial shortfall which prevented the quick retaining of a disaster management firm. Edwards' executive counsel, Matthew Block, explained that the state had no money in 2016 to pay the contractor. Edwards currently projects a $440 million budget deficit for the fiscal year that began on July 1, 2017.

Committee assignments

Graves resides in his native Baton Rouge. His wife is Carissa Vanderleest.