Background
McHugh, Tom Edward was born on October 3, 1943 in Zachary, Louisiana, United States. Son of David R. and Barbara (Miller) McH.
Louisiana Mayor of Baton Rouge
McHugh, Tom Edward was born on October 3, 1943 in Zachary, Louisiana, United States. Son of David R. and Barbara (Miller) McH.
Bachelor of Science, Louisiana State University, 1966; City Design Study, University of Virginia, 1988; Mayors' Conference, Washington, 1990.
The former Mayor-President, a combined municipal-parish position, of East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, McHugh resides in his native Zachary, Louisiana. The position includes all of the capital city of Baton Rouge. The original Thomas East. McHugh (born 1861) was a clerk of the East Baton Rouge district court, a staunch Democrat, and an organizer of the city of Zachary.
Another kinsman, also named Thomas Edward McHugh, possibly a grandfather, was the East Baton Rouge Parish sheriff from 1928-1932.
In 1988, Democratic Mayor-President James Patrick Screen, Junior., declined to seek a third term. Screen"s predecessor, former Mayor-President West.W. Dumas of Baker, came out of political retirement at the age of seventy-two to seek his old position in a crowded field in the nonpartisan blanket primary.
Dumas polled 29,109 votes (299 percent) to McHugh"s 38,629 ballots (397 percent). In third place was State Senator Mike Cross of Baker, who received 12,741 votes (131 percent).
Freshman State Representative Carl Crane, one of two Republicans in the race, polled only 4,554 votes (47 percent).
In the general election, McHugh defeated Dumas, 79,134 (555 percent) to 63,519 (445 percent). In 1993, McHugh ordered trick-or-treating moved from October 31 to October 29 to avoid conflicts with Sunday evening church services. Three inches of rain spoiled the Friday evening for many.
McHugh later said that he got more telephone calls about that incident than any other issue in his twelve years in office.
In 1959, Mayor-President Jack Christian had similarly moved trick-or-treating from Saturday, October 31, to Friday, October 30, to accommodate the Louisiana State University Tigers football game against the Ole Mission Rebels. In 1996, McHugh, having defected to the Republican ticket, handily defeated a later mayor-president, Democratic state representative Melvin "Kip" Holden.
McHugh polled 75,413 (661 percent) to Holden"s 38,641 (339 percent). McHugh did not seek a fourth term as mayor-president in 2000 and was succeeded by fellow Republican Bobby Simpson.
After his mayor-presidency, McHugh became executive director of the LMA, a nonpartisan position in an organization with more than three hundred municipal members.
Democratic Party, Republican Party.
Member Louisiana Conference Mayors. Vice president at large, executive board member Louisiana Municipal Association. Member Salvation Army Advisory Board, United States Conference Mayors, Steering Committee Coalition for Clean Air, Capital Area, Greater Baton Rouge Technology Development Council, Research Park Corporation, Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank Comty.
Advisory Committee, Governor's Violent Crime-Homicide Task Force Commission, Judicial Funding Commission, Louisiana. Former member Baton Rouge Association Retarded Citizens, Capital Area Enforcement Planning Council, Capital Transportation Corporation Board, Greater Baton Rouge Safety Council, Zachary Recreation Committee. Former treasurer, vice president, president Louisiana Conference Mayors.
Past chairman CAMD Task Force, Louisiana Research Corporation.
Married Betty Schilling. Children: Leslee, Tom Ed III, Jill.