Nickie Monica

Nickie J. Monica (born September 1960) is a businessman from LaPlace, Louisiana, who is a Republican former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 57 in St. John the Baptist and St. James parishes. As of 2012, the district includes St. John the Baptist and St. Charles parishes.

Background

Monica graduated from the private Riverside Academy in Reserve in St. John the Baptist Parish.^[1] At the age of eighteen, Monica joined the Garyville Volunteer Fire Department. By the time he was twenty-one, he was the fire chief until his family moved to LaPlace. He worked in the petrochemical industry at the Marathon/Ashland facility in Garyville, having spent his last years there as an operations manager. He was also involved with the emergency response team.^[2] He was previously bmarried to the former Dawn Oubre (born February 1962); he has since divorced and remarried.

From 1996 to 2000, Monica was a Republican member of the parish governing council.^[3]

Parish presidency

In the October 1999 nonpartisan blanket primary, Monica was the only Republican in a four-candidate field for St. John the Baptist parish president. Carl "Butch" Baloney of Garyville was the leading candidate with 5,371 votes (35.3 percent). Monica polled 4,480 (29.4 percent). Two other Democrats, Mike Maggiore and Pat McTopy, collectively polled more than a third of the vote. In the general election, Monica topped Baloney,^[4] 7,851 votes (55.3 percent) to 6,336 (44.7 percent).^[5]

In 2003, Monica polled 49 percent in the primary for parish president and was forced into a general election with the top Democratic candidate, Jobe Boucvalt. Monica then prevailed 9,697 (55.7 percent) to 7,719 (44.3) percent, to gain his second term.^[6]

Legislative matters

In the October 20, 2007 primary for the state House of Representatives, Monica was the only Republican in the race for the seat vacated by the two-term Democrat Robert Faucheux. He led five Democrats, having received 4,827 votes (29.3 percent). He therefore entered the November 16 general election with Democrat Geraldine Broussard Baloney of Garyville, the wife of Carl Baloney, who trailed with 2,867 votes (17.4 percent). Baloney's total was only thirty-seven votes above the third-placed candidate, Randal L. Gaines, who received 2,830 votes (17.2 percent). Natalie Tatje had 2,726 votes (16.5 percent), and Matthew John Ory finished sixth with 703 votes (4.3 percent).^[7] In the showdown with Baloney, Monica prevailed, 7,797 (57.1 percent) to 5,848 (42.9 percent).^[8] Oddly, Monica won both the parish presidency and state representative positions by defeating candidates, husband and wife, with the unlikely name of "Baloney."

In the House, Monica served on these committees: (1) Commerce, (2) Judiciary, (3) Insurance, (4) Special Veterans Affairs, and (5) Executive. Representative Monica voted to eliminate the state sales tax on machinery and equipment for new industry.^[3]

In 2010, Monica considered running for the vacant District 3 seat in the United States House of Representatives.^[9] However, he did not enter, and the eventual winner was a fellow Republican, Jeff Landry. The seat was vacated by Democrat Charles Melancon, who instead ran unsuccessfully against Republican U.S. Senator David Vitter.

Exiting the legislature

In 2010, Monica announced that he would not seek a second term in the House in 2011. Instead, he ran unsuccessfully in the nonpartisan blanket primary on October 22, 2011, to return to his previous position as president of the St. John parish government.^[2] He is only the third person to serve in the parish presidency. Monica received 5,608 votes (38.2 percent) in the primary, having lost to the Democratic incumbent, Natalie Robottom, also his successor in the post. She received 7,840 votes (53.3 percent), with the remaining 1,253 votes (8.5 percent) cast for a second Democrat, Ronnie S. Smith.^[10]

At the time he announced that he would leave the legislature, Monica said that he was entering the sand, gravel, and limestone business.^[3]

Monica was succeeded in the House by the African-American Democratic lawyer, educator, and military officer Randal Gaines of LaPlace. In the general election held on November 19, 2011, Gaines defeated the Independent or No Party candidate, Russ Wise, 5,677 votes (69 percent) to 2,548 (31 percent).^[11] No Republicans filed for the position in the revised district.^[10]

References