Benny Rayburn

Benjamin Burras Rayburn, Jr., known as Benny Rayburn (December 23, 1944 - December 14, 2006), was the Democratic sheriff of Washington Parish, the easternmost of the Florida Parishes of southeastern Louisiana, who served from 1981-1992. He was the only son of legendary Louisiana State Senator B.B. "Sixty" Rayburn, Sr. (1916–2008).

Rayburn, who resided in Bogalusa, the largest city in Washington Parish, won a special election in 1981 to complete the term of Sheriff Robert Lyons, a former Bogalusa municipal juvenile officer, elected in December 1979.

Rayburn filled out the term of Lyons and was subsequently elected to a full term in 1983. In the 1987 contest for a second four-year term, Rayburn defeated three intraparty rivals to win the position outright with 10,366 votes (58.3 percent). Rayburn, Sr., on the same ballot for the state Senate, polled within Washington Parish 13,003 votes (76.8 percent), nearly 3,000 more than his son drew in the sheriff's race.^[1]

In 1991, Rayburn was forced into a second round of balloting, called the Louisiana general election even though his opponent was a fellow Democrat, Duane Blair. Rayburn led with 7,425 votes (43.5 percent) to Blair's 5,093 (29.8 percent). Republican Johnnie M. Holcomb (born ca. 1932) of Bogalusa, who polled 3,132 votes (18.4 percent), was among three other primary candidates eliminated in the October 19 jungle primary.^[2] In the November 16 general election, Blair upset Rayburn, 9,884 votes (51.4 percent) to 9,332 (48.6 percent).^[3]

In 2003, Rayburn unsuccessfully sought election to the District 75 seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives, a position held by his father from 1948-1951. He finished third in the all-Democratic jungle primary with 1,959 votes (15.2 percent). The seat went to Harold L. Ritchie, who was reelected in 2007.^[4]

Rayburn graduated in 1962 from Bogalusa High School. He attended Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond but did not graduate. When he was not sheriff, Rayburn was state steward for the Louisiana Racing Commission. He also was a horse trainer and worked for a time for the Office of Rural Development and the B.B. "Sixty" Rayburn Correctional Institute in Washington Parish.^[5]

Rayburn died of a heart attack near Franklinton, the seat of Washington Parish. He was married to the former Cidette Lewis and was the father of one son, Benjamin Avery "Benjy" Rayburn (wife: Michelle) of Denham Springs in Livingston Parish. He had two grandchildren. He was predeceased by his mother, Hazel Blanchard Rayburn (1918–2001) and younger son, Robert B. "Robby" Rayburn (July 14, 1972 – March 25, 2000)who died of myocardial infarction^[6] Services were held at Annuciation Catholic Church in Bogalusa. Interment was in Palestine Cemetery in Washington Parish, where his father, Senator B. B. ``Sixty`` Rayburn and son are buried. ^[7]

References