Michael Lamoureux

{{Infobox officeholder

| name=Michael Lamoureux

| image name=

| birth_place=Springfield, Missouri, USA

| birth_date={{birth date and age|1976|6|2}}

| residence=Russellville, Arkansas

| death_date=

| death_place=

| office1=President pro tempore of the Arkansas Senate

| term_start1=January 2013

| term_end1=November 14, 2014

| preceded1=Paul Bookout

| succeeded1=Jonathan Dismang

| state_senate2=Arkansas

| district2=16th

| term_start2=January 2013

| term_end2=November 14, 2014

| preceded2=James Word

| succeeded2=Greg Standridge

| state_senate3=Arkansas

| district3=4th

| term_start3=December 16, 2009

| term_end3=January 2013

| preceded3=Sharon Trusty

| succeeded3=Uvalde Lindsey

| state_house4=Arkansas

| district4=68th

| term_start4=January 2003

| term_end4=January 2009

| preceded4=David Evans

| succeeded4=Andrea Lea

| party=Republican

| relations=

| alma_mater=Arkansas Tech University
William H. Bowen School of Law

| occupation=Lawyer, lobbyist

| religion=

| spouse=Kristi Lamoureux

| children=

| footnotes=

}}

Michael John Lamoureux (born June 2, 1976) is a lawyer, lobbyist, and former Republican politician from Russellville, Arkansas. He served in the Arkansas General Assembly for over ten years before resigning to serve as chief of staff to Governor Asa Hutchinson. In 2016, Lamoureux resigned and joined a lobbying firm.

Early life and career

Lamoureux was born in Springfield, Missouri and later moved to Dover in Pope County and then the county seat of Russellville. While a senior at Dover High School and attending Arkansas Tech University, he dreamed of winning election to public office.{{ cite web |last=Roark |first=Mike |title=Lamoureux living life-long dream |work=The Courier |location=Russellville, AR |date=November 19, 2012 |issn=1075-1866 |oclc=29962104 |url=https://www.couriernews.com/local_news/lamoureux-living-life-long-dream/article_df82595b-0019-5ee9-a52e-981a496ce4dd.html |accessdate= January 17, 2021 }}

He later attended William H. Bowen School of Law at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Lamoureux worked part-time as a lawyer for the Arkansas Public Defender Commission.

Electoral history

=Arkansas House of Representatives=

Lamoureux won election to the Arkansas House of Representatives in November 2002, and was seated in the 84th Arkansas General Assembly at age 26. He served in the House and won re-election twice until declining to seek reelection in the November 2008 election. Throughout his time in the House, Lamoureux was part of the Republican minority, though the party was slowly gaining seats each cycle, and Republican Governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee was term limited out on January 9, 2007.

=2009 Arkansas Senate (Special)=

Russellville Republican Sharon Trusty resigned from her Arkansas Senate District 4 seat on September 1, 2009, citing family needs, leading to a special election. Lamoureux had previously campaigned for Trusty in 1996, and sought the seat in the special election.{{ cite web |last= Wickline |first= Michael R. |work=Arkansas Democrat-Gazette |title=Ethics panel opening is filled |date= February 16, 2013 |page= 9 |via=NewsBank |publisher=WEHCO Media |location=Little Rock |issn=1060-4332 |url= https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=NewsBank&docref=news/1449E3398D5B6B18 |accessdate= January 30, 2021 }} On December 16, 2009, Lamoureux won the special election to fill the District 4 seat.{{cite news|title=Massage therapist qualifies to run for Senate seat |url=http://arkansasnews.com/2009/10/13/massage-therapist-qualifies-to-run-for-senate-seat/ |newspaper=Arkansas News |date=October 13, 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140102195911/http://arkansasnews.com/2009/10/13/massage-therapist-qualifies-to-run-for-senate-seat/ |archivedate=January 2, 2014 }}{{cite web|title=State Senate District 04 - Certified|url=http://www.sos.arkansas.gov/electionresults/index.php?ac:show:contest_statewide=1&elecid=201&contestid=1|publisher=Arkansas Secretary of State|date=December 16, 2009}} In a low-turnout contest, he polled 2,955 votes (70.1 percent); the Democrat John Burnett trailed with 899 votes (21.3 percent). The remaining 8.6 percent of the ballots went to the Independent Tachany Evans.{{cite web|url=http://www.sos.arkansas.gov/electionresults/index.php?ac:show:contest_statewide=1&elecid=201&contestid=1|title=State Senate District 04 Certified|publisher=sos.arkansas.gov|accessdate=January 1, 2014}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=Arkansas Senate District 4 Special Election}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Republican Party of Arkansas

|candidate = Michael Lamoureux

|votes = 2,955

|percentage = 70.1%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party of Arkansas

|candidate = John Burnett

|votes = 899

|percentage = 21.3%

}}

{{Election box candidate no change

|party = Independent

|candidate = Tachany Evans

|votes = 363

|percentage = 8.6%

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no change|

|winner = Republican Party of Arkansas

}}

In 2011, Senator Lamoureux introduced a bill to double vehicle title fees.{{cite news|title=UPDATE Senate OKs bill to double vehicle title fees |url=http://arkansasnews.com/2011/02/08/senate-oks-bill-to-double-vehicle-title-fees/ |newspaper=Arkansas News |date=February 8, 2011 }}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

=2012 Arkansas Senate=

Lamoureux won re-election to a full Senate term in November 2012 without opposition in the Republican primary or the general election. Following the November 2012 elections, Lamoureux was nominated by fellow senators to be the President Pro Tempore of the Senate in ahead of the 89th Arkansas General Assembly. Now in the majority for the first time since the Reconstruction era,{{ cite web |last= Wickline |first= Michael R. |title=GOP on top, state Senate elects leaders - Lamoureux put at helm after Democrats lose seats |work= Arkansas Democrat-Gazette |location= Little Rock, AR |date= November 9, 2012 |page= 1 |publisher=WEHCO Media |issn=1060-4332 |via= NewsBank |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=NewsBank&docref=news/14275CD044E8D9E8 |accessdate= January 17, 2021 }} the Republican met frequently with Democratic Governor Mike Beebe.

He has been a member of the board of directors of the conservative interest group, the American Legislative Exchange Council.

Hutchinson administration

Lamoureux stepped down from the Arkansas Senate on November 14, 2014 to lead the transition team for the incoming governor Asa Hutchinson's administration, and ultimately become his chief of staff.{{ cite web |title=Lamoureux To Resign From Arkansas Senate Friday |work= Times Record |location= Fort Smith, AR |date= November 11, 2014 |via=NewsBank |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=NewsBank&docref=news/151851ECBA97C950 |accessdate= January 7, 2021 }} The appointment had been expected by insiders and was praised by legislators from both parties.{{ cite web |first= Michael R. |last= Wickline |title=Hutchinson taps senator to head staff - Lamoureux praised by both parties |work=Arkansas Democrat-Gazette |page=1 |date= November 6, 2014 |location=Little Rock |publisher=WEHCO Media |issn=1060-4332 |url= https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2014/nov/06/hutchinson-taps-senator-to-head-staff-2/ |accessdate= January 17, 2021 }} A special election was called to fill the District 16 seat, ultimately won by Greg Standridge. Lamoureux resigned from the governor's office May 31, 2016.{{ cite web |last=Wickline |first= Michael R. |title=Hutchinson's office to lose chief of staff |work= Arkansas Democrat-Gazette |location=Little Rock |publisher=WEHCO Media |issn=1060-4332 |date= May 3, 2016 |url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2016/may/03/hutchinson-s-office-to-lose-chief-of-st-1/ |accessdate= January 30, 2021 }}