Marvin Lee “Kip” Holden
Political Party: Democratic
Age: 61
Spouse: Lois Stevenson Holden
Current Residence: Baton Rouge, LA
Education:
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Bachelors of Arts, Journalism, 1974
Southern University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Master of Arts, Journalism, 1982
Southern University School of Law, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Juris Doctorate, 1985
Children: 5 children
Occupation: Mayor-President of East Baton Rouge Parish
Religion: Baptist
Political Party: Democratic
Age: 61
Spouse: Lois Stevenson Holden
Current Residence: Baton Rouge, LA
Education:
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Bachelors of Arts, Journalism, 1974
Southern University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Master of Arts, Journalism, 1982
Southern University School of Law, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Juris Doctorate, 1985
Children: 5 children
Occupation: Mayor-President of East Baton Rouge Parish
Religion: Baptist
Biography
Melvin Lee “Kip” Holden was born on August 12, 1952, in New Orleans, Louisiana to Rosa May Rogers and Curtis Holden. Holden grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and graduated from Scotlandville Senior High School in 1970. During a debate in 2012 he referenced his broken home and tough upbringing. He attended Louisiana State University and received a Bachelor’s of Art degree in journalism in 1974. While pursuing a career in journalism working for WXOK Radio, WWL Radio and later WBRZ, Holden studied at Southern University and earned his Masters of Arts in journalism in 1982 as well as law degree 1985.
In 1984, Holden started his career in politics by winning the District 2 seat on the Baton Rouge Metro Council. Voters elected him to the Louisiana House of Representatives in 1988. Oxford University honored Holden with an invitation to study at the Round Table in England in 2002. In 2004, he was elected the first African American Mayor-President of East Baton Rouge. He was an effective leader in office during hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Gustav. He was dedicated to seeking out federal funding for the state and helped aid evacuees from New Orleans.
Electoral History EBR Mayor
2012
“Kip” Holden
Democrat
115, 305
60%
“Mike” Walker
Republican
65, 972
34%
Gordon Mese
No Party
6, 585
3%
“Steve” Myers
No Party
4, 256
2%
EBR Mayor
2008
“Kip” Holden
Democrat
75, 450
71%
“Dan” Kyle
Republican
12, 886
12%
Wayne Carter
Republican
11, 341
11%
“Ron” Johnson
Democrat
6, 320
6 %
EBR Mayor
2004 Runoff
“Kip” Holden
Democrat
94, 802
54%
Bobby Simpson
Republican
81, 142
46%
EBR Mayor
2004
“Kip” Holden
Democrat
39, 470
35%
Bobby Simpson
Republican
38, 206
34%
William Daniel
Democrat
27, 662
25%
“Nat” Bankston
Republican
4, 892
4%
John B. Fontenot
Republican
900
1%
Leroy Davis
Democrat
765
1%
Stephanie Greco
Other
703
1%
State Senate
2001
“Kip” Holden
Democrat
8, 599
51%
Scott Hornsby
Other
6, 025
35%
“Tick” Cobb
Democrat
1, 993
12%
Brenda Carter
Democrat
363
2%
EBR Mayor
2000 Runoff
Bobby Simpson
Republican
93, 952
57%
“Kip” Holden
Democrat
71, 087
43%
EBR Mayor
2000
“Kip” Holden
Democrat
34, 780
31%
Bobby Simpson
Republican
27, 928
25%
Rolfe McCollister
Republican
21, 820
20%
Donna Mayeux
Democrat
12, 680
11%
Roxson Welch
Republican
7, 847
7%
Fred Dent, Jr.
Republican
6, 339
6%
EBR Mayor
1996
“Tom Ed” McCugh
Republican
75, 413
66%
“Kip” Holden
Democrat
38, 641
34%
State Rep.
1995
“Kip” Holden
Democrat
8, 168
77%
“Doc” Greggs
Democrat
2, 485
23%
State Rep.
1991
“Kip” Holden
Democrat
9, 417
77%
Felton Douglass
Democrat
2, 806
23%
State Rep.
1988
“Kip” Holden
Democrat
6, 391
63%
Jewel J. Newman
Democrat
3, 817
37%
State Rep.
1983 Runoff
Jewel J. Newman
Democrat
4, 747
55%
“Kip” Holden
Democrat
3, 816
45%
State Rep.
1983
Jewel J. Newman
Democrat
4, 691
44%
“Kip” Holden
Democrat
3, 599
33%
Henry Allen
Democrat
2, 485
23%
Melvin Lee “Kip” Holden was born on August 12, 1952, in New Orleans, Louisiana to Rosa May Rogers and Curtis Holden. Holden grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and graduated from Scotlandville Senior High School in 1970. During a debate in 2012 he referenced his broken home and tough upbringing. He attended Louisiana State University and received a Bachelor’s of Art degree in journalism in 1974. While pursuing a career in journalism working for WXOK Radio, WWL Radio and later WBRZ, Holden studied at Southern University and earned his Masters of Arts in journalism in 1982 as well as law degree 1985.
In 1984, Holden started his career in politics by winning the District 2 seat on the Baton Rouge Metro Council. Voters elected him to the Louisiana House of Representatives in 1988. Oxford University honored Holden with an invitation to study at the Round Table in England in 2002. In 2004, he was elected the first African American Mayor-President of East Baton Rouge. He was an effective leader in office during hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Gustav. He was dedicated to seeking out federal funding for the state and helped aid evacuees from New Orleans.
Electoral History EBR Mayor
2012
“Kip” Holden
Democrat
115, 305
60%
“Mike” Walker
Republican
65, 972
34%
Gordon Mese
No Party
6, 585
3%
“Steve” Myers
No Party
4, 256
2%
EBR Mayor
2008
“Kip” Holden
Democrat
75, 450
71%
“Dan” Kyle
Republican
12, 886
12%
Wayne Carter
Republican
11, 341
11%
“Ron” Johnson
Democrat
6, 320
6 %
EBR Mayor
2004 Runoff
“Kip” Holden
Democrat
94, 802
54%
Bobby Simpson
Republican
81, 142
46%
EBR Mayor
2004
“Kip” Holden
Democrat
39, 470
35%
Bobby Simpson
Republican
38, 206
34%
William Daniel
Democrat
27, 662
25%
“Nat” Bankston
Republican
4, 892
4%
John B. Fontenot
Republican
900
1%
Leroy Davis
Democrat
765
1%
Stephanie Greco
Other
703
1%
State Senate
2001
“Kip” Holden
Democrat
8, 599
51%
Scott Hornsby
Other
6, 025
35%
“Tick” Cobb
Democrat
1, 993
12%
Brenda Carter
Democrat
363
2%
EBR Mayor
2000 Runoff
Bobby Simpson
Republican
93, 952
57%
“Kip” Holden
Democrat
71, 087
43%
EBR Mayor
2000
“Kip” Holden
Democrat
34, 780
31%
Bobby Simpson
Republican
27, 928
25%
Rolfe McCollister
Republican
21, 820
20%
Donna Mayeux
Democrat
12, 680
11%
Roxson Welch
Republican
7, 847
7%
Fred Dent, Jr.
Republican
6, 339
6%
EBR Mayor
1996
“Tom Ed” McCugh
Republican
75, 413
66%
“Kip” Holden
Democrat
38, 641
34%
State Rep.
1995
“Kip” Holden
Democrat
8, 168
77%
“Doc” Greggs
Democrat
2, 485
23%
State Rep.
1991
“Kip” Holden
Democrat
9, 417
77%
Felton Douglass
Democrat
2, 806
23%
State Rep.
1988
“Kip” Holden
Democrat
6, 391
63%
Jewel J. Newman
Democrat
3, 817
37%
State Rep.
1983 Runoff
Jewel J. Newman
Democrat
4, 747
55%
“Kip” Holden
Democrat
3, 816
45%
State Rep.
1983
Jewel J. Newman
Democrat
4, 691
44%
“Kip” Holden
Democrat
3, 599
33%
Henry Allen
Democrat
2, 485
23%
Mayor Kip Holden has a well-established reputation as the good guy, approachable and relatable politician, winning the 2012 Baton Rouge mayoral race with the slogan “Kip My Mayor”. He easily won that race without a runoff election despite a harsh campaign season against a strong republican candidate. Doing so in the capital city of a red state like Louisiana shows Holden’s bipartisan support. He has lower class black support because of his background, middle class support from both parties as well as major backers like Jim Bernhard, CEO of the Shaw Group.
Now in his third term as mayor, he has a strong power of recognition in the area. Being born in New Orleans and raised in Baton Rouge and graduating from in-state universities, Holden has a solid understanding of the needs, concerns and thoughts of Louisianans which is vital to the role of state Senator. Mayor Holden also has a strong financial backing, he raised nearly double that of his biggest 2012 mayoral opponent.
In his eight years as mayor of Baton Rouge, Holden has made significant strides of improvement in the city. One of the more notable projects being the Green Light Plan and the establishment of the Green Light Baton Rouge Citizens Council. The Green Light Plan is an ongoing project to improve transportation in Baton Rouge by fixing roads, expansions and various other traffic changes. The Green Light Council’s purpose is to make plans for various city improvements like those to the downtown area. Holden has gained a significant amount of revenue for the state through the growth of the movie industry in Baton Rouge as well as bringing money generating events such as Bayou Country Superfest and the national bowling competition to the city. These are practical and public improvements that the community is easily aware of, shining a good light on Holden’s time in office.
Holden has received criticism for his ineffectiveness on the alarmingly high crime rate in Baton Rouge. While opponents have campaigned on increased law enforcement and other direct methods on crime, Holden’s approach has been an indirect one with programs targeting poverty like the Baton Rouge Area Violence Elimination (BRAVE) project. The funding for the project goes to researching the cause of violence in the 70805 zip code of Baton Rouge as well as targeting a small group of youth in hopes of preventing violence in the future. While Holden’s plans are good in theory, they are not reflecting in crime statistics, which can be easily used against him.
The mayor was involved in a scandal in early 2013 involving the firing of Baton Rouge Police Chief DeWayne White. He received a large amount of bad publicity and did not handle it as gracefully as he could have. When asked by reporters about the firing he only responded that he would not comment on personnel matters. There was much concern that the mayor is involved in corruption within the police force and union and that being his reasoning for firing White. The former police chief accused Holden’s office of sending the police to investigate him in the theft of a city issued cell phone. The combination of lack of crime reduction and police force corruption will be a hard attack to spin.
Now in his third term as mayor, he has a strong power of recognition in the area. Being born in New Orleans and raised in Baton Rouge and graduating from in-state universities, Holden has a solid understanding of the needs, concerns and thoughts of Louisianans which is vital to the role of state Senator. Mayor Holden also has a strong financial backing, he raised nearly double that of his biggest 2012 mayoral opponent.
In his eight years as mayor of Baton Rouge, Holden has made significant strides of improvement in the city. One of the more notable projects being the Green Light Plan and the establishment of the Green Light Baton Rouge Citizens Council. The Green Light Plan is an ongoing project to improve transportation in Baton Rouge by fixing roads, expansions and various other traffic changes. The Green Light Council’s purpose is to make plans for various city improvements like those to the downtown area. Holden has gained a significant amount of revenue for the state through the growth of the movie industry in Baton Rouge as well as bringing money generating events such as Bayou Country Superfest and the national bowling competition to the city. These are practical and public improvements that the community is easily aware of, shining a good light on Holden’s time in office.
Holden has received criticism for his ineffectiveness on the alarmingly high crime rate in Baton Rouge. While opponents have campaigned on increased law enforcement and other direct methods on crime, Holden’s approach has been an indirect one with programs targeting poverty like the Baton Rouge Area Violence Elimination (BRAVE) project. The funding for the project goes to researching the cause of violence in the 70805 zip code of Baton Rouge as well as targeting a small group of youth in hopes of preventing violence in the future. While Holden’s plans are good in theory, they are not reflecting in crime statistics, which can be easily used against him.
The mayor was involved in a scandal in early 2013 involving the firing of Baton Rouge Police Chief DeWayne White. He received a large amount of bad publicity and did not handle it as gracefully as he could have. When asked by reporters about the firing he only responded that he would not comment on personnel matters. There was much concern that the mayor is involved in corruption within the police force and union and that being his reasoning for firing White. The former police chief accused Holden’s office of sending the police to investigate him in the theft of a city issued cell phone. The combination of lack of crime reduction and police force corruption will be a hard attack to spin.
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