Senator Bob Hensgens

Craig Robert Hensgens was born on January 26, 1955, and is a Republican state senator representing Louisiana State Senate District 26. His district encompasses Vermilion Parish and portions of Acadia, Lafayette, and St. Landry parishes.

Since 2009, Hensgens has worked as an administrator at the Gueydan Memorial Guest Home in Gueydan, Louisiana. He previously served as mayor of Gueydan from 2007 to 2011.

Education

Hensgens graduated from Vermilion Catholic High School in 1973 and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in Business Administration.

Political Experience

Hensgens began his legislative career in the Louisiana House of Representatives, representing District 47 from 2011 to 2018 after winning a special election on April 30, 2011. During his House tenure, he served as vice chair of the House Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture and Rural Development Committee from 2012 to 2015, and as vice chair of the House Judiciary Committee during the 2019–2020 legislative session.

He was elected to the Louisiana State Senate in a December 2018 special election with 60 percent of the vote and was re-elected in the primary on October 14, 2023. His current term extends through January 10, 2028.

In the State Senate, Hensgens currently serves as Chair of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and as a member of the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare. He has been notably active on social and constitutional issues, earning a 100% pro-life voting record from Louisiana Right to Life in 2023 and voting in favor of constitutional carry legislation and criminal justice reform measures during the 2024 extraordinary session.