Jonathan “JP” Perry is the new state senator for Senate District 26. The Kaplan republican won a special election held in late February to replace Senator Nick Gautreaux who has assumed the position of Commissioner of the Office of Motor Vehicles. Sen. Perry was sworn in Friday morning by the Honorable Judge Richard Putnam III.

“It is indeed an honor and true blessing to have the opportunity to represent the persistent and hard-working citizens of Senate District 26,” Sen. Perry said. “I look forward to working with all of the citizens across the district. We have much work to do in order to help move District 26 and the state of Louisiana forward.”

Senator Perry comes to the Louisiana Senate after years of hard work as an attorney, small business owner and professional comedian. He was raised in Senate District 26, attended Kaplan High School and worked as a police officer in his home town in addition to serving on the Kaplan City Council from 2002-2006.

Senator Perry brings his small business and law enforcement experience to the Senate where he will focus on the need to retain and create good jobs in the district and the necessary criminal and government reforms, education and infrastructure improvements needed to make that happen.

“Preserving and promoting the rich agriculture and so very unique culture of Acadiana which certainly includes pro-family values are among the important issues I will focus on in the Louisiana Senate,” Sen. Perry said.

Senator Perry is a graduate of the University of Louisiana at Monroe (formerly Northeast Louisiana University) in Criminal Justice with a minor in sociology and received a law degree from Southern University Law Center. He is a former prosecutor for the 15th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. He and his wife Christine have four children, Molli, Meredith, Major and Marlee.

Senate District 26 takes in portions of Acadia, western Lafayette, southern St. Landry parishes and all of Vermilion Parish