Tom Arceneaux

Tom Arceneaux (born October 8, 1951) is an American politician who has served as the mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana, since December 31, 2022. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Early life and education Tom Arceneaux graduated from Captain Shreve High School in 1969, where he participated in football. He pursued his education at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, where he obtained his Juris Doctor degree from the LSU Law Center in 1976. Arceneaux has been practicing law in Louisiana and Texas for more than 40 years. He served as a member of the Shreveport City Council, representing District C, from 1982 to 1990, and held the position of council chairman from 1986 to 1987. Northwest Louisiana Legal Services, the Shreveport Little Theater, Holy Angels Residential Facility, AMIKids, the Rotary Club of Shreveport, the Norwela Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and the United Way of Northwest Louisiana, among others. Notably, Perkins, along with two former Black Democratic mayors, endorsed Arceneaux, a white Republican, over Tarver, citing concerns regarding Tarver's personality and his opposition to the 2017 Justice Reinvestment Act. Conversely, Tarver received endorsements from several prominent Democrats, including Governor John Bel Edwards, as well as some Republicans. The runoff was characterized by intense competition, with both candidates facing attack advertisements related to past domestic violence allegations. Additionally, Tarver faced scrutiny for residing outside of Shreveport until 2021 and for his wife's casino contracts. Crime emerged as a significant issue in the campaign, with Tarver advocating a "tough-on-crime" approach, while Arceneaux emphasized the need to revitalize blighted neighborhoods. securing 56% of the vote, thereby achieving the first Republican victory in a Shreveport mayoral election since 1994.

Tenure Tom Arceneaux took the oath of office as the 57th Mayor of Shreveport on December 31, 2022. In June of his inaugural year in office, Shreveport encountered a significant storm and was able to recover swiftly. During Arceneaux's tenure, there has been improvement in the crime rates of Shreveport. Tom Arceneaux has additionally suggested the issuance of bonds as a means to generate capital for infrastructure investment.