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| - Anthony Claude "Buddy" Leach, Jr. (born March 30, 1934), is a Louisiana lawyer, businessman, farmer, and Democratic politician who resides in his native Leesville as well as Lake Charles in southwestern Louisiana. Leach served two terms in the Louisiana House of Representatives . He represented the area about his native Vernon Parish in western Louisiana along the Texas border. In 1978, Leach was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives to succeed the popular Fourth District Congressman Joseph David "Joe D." Waggonner, Jr., originally from Plain Dealing in Bossier Parish. However, Leach survived only a single term, for he was unseated in the 1980 Louisiana general election by his fellow Democrat Charles E. "Buddy" Roemer, III, also of Bossier Parish. Thereafter, Leach regained his state House seat in the 1983 jungle primary. He relinquished the seat, however, to run unsuccessfully for state treasurer in 1987 in a campaign won by future U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu. Leach launched a largely self-financed gubernatorial campaign in 2003 but finished in fourth place. Leach was defeated by his fellow Democrat John Smith, also of Leesville, in the November 17, 2007, general election for the District 30 seat in the Louisiana State Senate vacated by term-limited James David Cain. Smith polled 9,326 votes to Leach's 8,777 . In the October 20 primary, Leach led in the balloting with 10,219 votes to Smith's 9,227, and Terry Fowler's 6,492 (25 percent). (en)
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