Ralph Abraham

Ralph Lee Abraham Jr. (born September 16, 1954) is an American veterinarian, physician, and politician who served as the principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from December 2025 to February 2026. Prior to that, he was Louisiana Surgeon General from 2024 to 2025. He served as the U.S. representative for from 2015 to 2021 as a member of the Republican Party. Abraham ran for governor of Louisiana in 2019, but failed to advance to the runoff.

Early life, education, and career Abraham is the son of Marlene Posey, a retired educator, and Ralph Abraham Sr. His paternal grandparents were emigrants from Lebanon. He is a native and resident of Alto, Louisiana.

He graduated from Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1980 and was a practicing veterinarian for ten years. He returned to Louisiana State University School of Medicine for a medical degree in 1994.

Abraham has served in the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary and the Mississippi National Guard. He and his wife, Dianne, have three children. He has been an aviation medical examiner.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections 2014

Abraham defeated his Democratic opponent, Mayor Jamie Mayo of Monroe, 134,612 votes (64.2%) to 75,004 (35.8%). He was sworn into office on January 3, 2015.

2016

In his bid for reelection, Abraham defeated one challenger, fellow Republican Billy Burkette of Baton Rouge, a former constable in East Feliciana Parish and former chairman of the Louisiana Band of Choctaw Indians. Burkette claimed in his campaign that the Environmental Protection Agency had issued overly strict regulations that hamper farming.

2018

Abraham defeated three challengers in 2018: Billy Burkette, an Independent from Pride, Louisiana; Jessee Carlton Fleenor, a Democrat from Loranger, and Kyle Randol, a Libertarian from Monroe. Abraham polled 149,010 votes (67%) to Fleenor's 67,113 votes (30%). Burkette and Randol received the remaining 3%.

Tenure After his election, Abraham chose Luke Letlow, his campaign manager, as chief of staff.

In June 2017, Abraham co-sponsored the Civil Rights Uniformity Act of 2017.

In August 2017, Abraham endorsed President Donald Trump's nomination of Terry Doughty, also of Richland Parish, for a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, based in Monroe. The selection also carried the backing of U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy and John Neely Kennedy.

In December 2017, Abraham voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. After voting, he said, "This is going to be a great tax bill, and great tax reform not only for Louisiana but for the United States." He said businesses would benefit greatly and be able to "reinvest in their infrastructure, reinvest in their employees", and that wages would increase and job opportunities grow.

In 2020, Abraham opted not to run for reelection, and endorsed Letlow in the election to succeed him. Letlow won the election, but died from COVID-19 complications a few days before he was scheduled to take office. Letlow's widow, Julia, won the special election to fill the vacancy. Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee on Military Personnel

Caucus memberships Congressional Western Caucus Coast Guard Caucus Historic Preservation Caucus GOP Doctor's Caucus Mississippi River Caucus Congressional National Guard and Reserve Components Caucus National Guard Youth Challenge Caucus Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus Veteran's Caucus Veterinary Medicine Caucus U.S.-Japan Caucus

Gubernatorial campaign On December 6, 2018, Abraham declared his candidacy for governor of Louisiana in the 2019 Louisiana gubernatorial election. He placed third, behind fellow Republican Eddie Rispone and Democratic incumbent John Bel Edwards, failing to advance to the runoff required under Louisiana law as no candidate received a majority in the primary.

Later career He was appointed Louisiana Surgeon General in 2024. During his tenure, he instructed the Louisiana Department of Health to stop promoting mass vaccination.

On November 23, 2025, Abraham was named Principal Deputy Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Political positions

Health care and public health

During his 2014 campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives, Abraham said the Affordable Care Act should be repealed. He opposed the expansion of Medicaid.

On the topic of COVID-19, Abraham has said that masking, lockdowns and vaccination requirements "were practically ineffective." He said that the adverse effects of COVID vaccines were "suppressed", that "we don't know" whether recipients of COVID vaccines can safely donate blood, and suggested that COVID vaccines may be linked to miscarriages. During the subsequent outbreak of pertussis (whooping cough), which included a number of infant deaths, the Louisiana Department of Health delayed action for several months .

Economic issues

Abraham supports simplifying the tax code.

Abraham has said he supports banning sanctuary cities in Louisiana, and that he would pay for four minority congresswomen, three of whom were born in the U.S., to leave the United States, if they would tell him where they'd like to go, referencing Trump's "send them back" comments.

Death penalty

In 2019, Abraham said he supports the death penalty and as governor would find a way to resume executions in the state, expanding the penalty to apply to child molesters. At that point, Louisiana had not executed anyone since 2010. The state resumed executions in 2025.

Abortion

Abraham opposes late term abortions. In May 2015, he said there was "scientific research showing that babies can indeed feel pain at 20 weeks, if not before".

LGBT issues

In July 2017, after President Trump said he would ban transgender people from the military, Abraham said he backed Trump "100 percent" on this matter. He was not in office when the Louisiana Legislature passed a ban on gender-affirming care for minors in 2023.