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BATON ROUGE, La. (KLFY) — Dist. 44 State Rep. Vincent Pierre is now the chair of the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus after an election on Jan. 19 to replace outgoing chair Rep. Ted James.

James is vacating his seat after accepting a position with Small Business Administration offered by Pres. Joe Biden.

“I’d like to extend a wholehearted congratulations to a dear friend and colleague, Rep. Vincent Pierre, on his election as Chairman of the Black Caucus,” said La. Democratic Party Chair Katie Bernhardt. “Rep. Pierre is a strong Democratic voice who will fiercely serve the Black Caucus; as former Chairman of the Acadiana Delegation and Chairman of the House Transportation Committee, I know he will be a huge asset for the Caucus and an unceasing advocate for minority communities in our state. I cannot wait to work alongside Rep. Pierre and see all he has in store as we gear up for the 2022 Legislative Sessions.”

Pierre, 57, has served in the Louisiana House since 2012, and his current term ends in 2024.