Benny Rousselle

Benedict G. Rousselle, known as Benny Rousselle (born January 20, 1951), is a Realtor and an Independent politician from Plaquemines Parish in Greater New Orleans, Louisiana.

Plaquemines Parish is adjacent to the Algiers district (also known as Fifteenth Ward) of New Orleans. Hurricane Katrina struck Plaquemines Parish during Rousselle's second term as parish president. Katrina and related levee failures resulted in almost all homes and businesses of Plaquemines Parish being catastrophically flooded. Belle Chasse, the location of the Naval Air Station and the Joint Reserve Base, was spared from flood destruction as it is flanked by the Mississippi River on the northern and eastern sides and the Industrial Canal on the west side and naturally sits on high ground. Most had to evacuate permanently from their houses, and many remained for months in Federal Emergency Management Agency trailers.

Rousselle blamed the national administration for the way it handled the aftermath of Katrina. Other politicians who criticized the way the U.S. government handled the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina were Mayor Ray Nagin of New Orleans and parish presidents Junior Rodriguez from St. Bernard and Aaron Broussard from Jefferson.

Rousselle was constitutionally ineligible for a third consecutive term as Plaquemines parish president.

Election history

Member of Parish Council, District 2, 1990

Threshold > 50%

First Ballot, October 6, 1990

Candidate Affiliation Support Outcome Benny Rousselle Democratic 709 (65%) Elected Richie DiFebbo Republican 158 (15%) Defeated Others n.a. 221 (20%) Defeated

State Representative, 105th Representative District, 1995

Threshold > 50%

First Ballot, October 21, 1995

Candidate Affiliation Support Outcome Benny Rousselle Democratic 2,985 (31%) Runoff Jerry Hodnett Democratic 2,551 (26%) Runoff Others n.a. 4,118 (43%) Defeated

Second Ballot, November 18, 1995

Candidate Affiliation Support Outcome Benny Rousselle Democratic 5,111 (53%) Elected Jerry Hodnett Democratic 4,565 (47%) Defeated

Plaquemines Parish President, 1998

Threshold > 50%

First Ballot, October 3, 1998

Candidate Affiliation Support Outcome Benny Rousselle Democratic 4,965 (61%) Elected Clyde Giordano Democratic 3,140 (39%) Defeated

Plaquemines Parish President, 2002

Threshold > 50%

First Ballot, October 5, 2002

Candidate Affiliation Support Outcome Benny Rousselle Democratic 3,354 (39%) Runoff Clyde Giordano Democratic 2,518 (29%) Runoff Janice Acosta Democratic 2,163 (25%) Defeated Tyronne Edwards Independent 610 (7%) Defeated

Second Ballot, November 5, 2002

Candidate Affiliation Support Outcome Benny Rousselle Democratic 5,430 (56%) Elected Clyde Giordano Democratic 4,310 (44%) Defeated