Tom Willmott

Thomas Phillip Willmott, known as Tom Willmott (born February 22, 1960), is an attorney and registered nurse^[1] from Metairie and Kenner, Louisiana, who is a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 92 in Jefferson Parish in the New Orleans suburbs.

Willmott's place of birth, most family members, and religious affiliation are not included on the political websites. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, and a Juris Doctor from the Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge. He also holds the A.D. nursing degree from Louisiana State University.^[2] A graduate of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office Training Academy,^[3] Willmott is a former sheriff's reserve deputy.^[4] He has practiced law since the early 1990s and has worked in several hospitals as a nurse. He is a member of both the Louisiana State Bar and Nurses associations.^[4]

Willmott nearly won outright the three-candidate nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 20, 2007, to succeed the term-limited Democrat, Glenn Ansardi, who never again faced an opponent after the 1991 primary. Willmot led with 3,750 votes (46 percent). Fellow Republican Michael McMyne trailed with 2,593 votes (31.8 percent). Democrat Michael Austin trailed with 1,802 votes (22.1 percent).^[5] In the November 17 general election, Willmott defeated McMyne, 3,563 (65 percent) to 1,912 (34.9 percent).^[6] The New Orleans Times-Picayune endorsed McMyne before the primary, but the Democrat Austin supported Willmott in the general election.^[4]

Willmott serves on the House (1) Civil Law and Procedure and (2) Health and Welfare committees. In 2010, Willmott was rated 56 percent by the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry and 78 percent from the Louisiana Family Forum. In 2009, he was rated 100 percent by the Louisiana Right to Life Federation^[7] As a nurse, Willmott has demonstrated interest in alleviating the staffing shortage in health care. He has proposed grants to recruit new students in exchange for an agreement to work in areas with great need for nurses. He has also proposed nonrefundable tax credits to health care workers in needed areas.^[4]

District 92 is traditionally Democratic, with an African American and Hispanic presence, but Willmott handily reversed the party trend in the 2007 legislative race. Large employers in the district include the Louis Armstrong International Airport and Esplanade Mall.^[4]

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