Charles Boustany

Boustany was born in Lafayette, Louisiana, the son of Madlyn M. (née Ackal) and Charles W. Boustany Sr. (1930–2009); his paternal grandparents, Alfred Frem Boustany and Florida (née Saloom), were immigrants from Lebanon.

His maternal grandparents were also Lebanese.

Charles William Boustany Jr. (born February 21, 1956) is an American politician, physician, and former congressman from Lafayette, Louisiana, who served as the U.S. representative from Louisiana's 3rd congressional district from 2005 to 2017 (numbered as the 7th district from 2005 to 2013).

He is a member of the Republican Party.

He earned his medical degree from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans in 1978.

He is a retired cardiovascular surgeon who completed his residency in Rochester, New York before returning to Louisiana to take a job at Charity Hospital, New Orleans.

During Boustany's medical career, he was the defendant in at least three malpractice suits.

In 1992, Melanie Malagarie filed a malpractice suit which resulted in an award of $600,000 in damages.

In 1995, Delila Hays filed a medical malpractice suit which resulted in an unspecified settlement.

He was only the second Republican to represent the district, the first having been Jimmy Hayes, who switched from Democratic affiliation in 1995.

Boustany won re-election to a second term with 71 percent of the vote, defeating Democrat Mike Stagg.

Boustany won re-election to a third term defeating Democrat Don Cravins, Jr.

and Constitution Party candidate Peter Vidrine.

Boustany won re-election to a fourth term unopposed.

After Louisiana lost a district in redistricting, most of Boustany's territory became the 3rd District.

He faced freshman fellow Republican and 3rd District incumbent Jeff Landry of New Iberia.

Although the district retained Landry's district number, it was geographically and demographically more Boustany's district.

Indeed, the new 3rd contained almost two-thirds of Boustany's former territory, while Landry retained only the western third of his former district.

In a 2000 case, Geraldine Arceneaux, was awarded $1.2 Million in damages from a state compensation fund.

Prior to filing the lawsuit, filed a complaint with the state's Medical Review Panel, which found his conduct to be "below the acceptable standard of care."

In 2004, incumbent Democratic U.S. Congressman Chris John of Louisiana's 7th congressional district decided to retire in order to run for the U.S. Senate.

John had held the district for eight years without serious difficulty, even though it had been trending increasingly Republican at the national level.

Boustany jumped into the race with another Republican, the late David Thibodaux of Lafayette, Democratic state senator Willie Mount of Lake Charles and Democratic state representative Don Cravins Jr.. of Opelousas.

In the open primary election, Boustany ranked first with 39 percent, with Mount garnering 25 percent for second place.

Under Louisiana's nonpartisan blanket primary system, in the event no candidate wins a "50 percent plus one vote" total, a runoff is conducted between the two top candidates, regardless of party.

Vice President Dick Cheney campaigned on behalf of Boustany.

In the December 4 run-off election, Boustany defeated Mount 55–45 percent.

In 2006, he was one of four Middle Eastern American members of Congress.

The senior Boustany, a Democrat, served for sixteen years as coroner of Lafayette Parish.

Congressman Boustany has nine siblings: James, Jon, Ron, Stella (Dr. Stella B. Noel), Therese (Mrs. Reggie), Kathryn (Mrs. Scurlock), Madlyn (Mrs. Juneau), Adele (Mrs. Weber), and Cheryn (Mrs. Eppley).

He is a cousin of Victoria Reggie Kennedy, widow of U.S. Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts.

Boustany attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, at which he was a member of Kappa Alpha Order fraternity.

Landry led Boustany in third-quarter 2011 fundraising, $251,000 to $218,000.

According to Federal Election Commission, Boustany led in cash-on-hand lead, $1.1 million – $402,000.

In addition to Boustany and Landry, a third Republican, state Representative Chris Leopold of Plaquemines Parish, announced via Facebook his candidacy for the seat, but he never filed the paperwork.

The Boustany-Landry race attracted most of the political attention in Louisiana in 2012, as it was seen as pitting an establishment Republican against a candidate identifying with the Tea Party.

In 2016 Boustany was linked to 3 of the 8 women killed in Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana between the years of 2005-2009 and to the hotel (owned by his staffer Martin Guillory) where the ladies entertained guests.

Boustany stepped down from the U.S. House in January 2017; he was a candidate for the United States Senate in 2016 in a bid to succeed the retiring Republican David Vitter.

Boustany did not advance beyond the primary election, finishing third in the jungle primary behind Republican John Neely Kennedy and Democrat Foster Campbell.

He was succeeded in the House of Representatives by Clay Higgins, a Republican who is a Lafayette law enforcement officer residing outside the district in St. Landry Parish.