Republican Challenger Chris Hazel Unseats Incumbent Democrat Rick Farrar
by Tom Bonnette - The Town Talk (excerpt)

Republican Challenger Chris Hazel won his bid for House District 27, with 9,330, or 62 percent, of the votes cast in Saturday's election, unseating incumbent Democrat Rick Farrar.

Hazel, who waited to hear election results from his home in Ball, credited hard work by him and those who supported him as numbers seemed to indicate he would soon he headed to Baton Rouge. He said voters supported him because they were ready for a change.

Farrar, who waited for results to come in at the Pineville Main Street Community Center, received 5,611 votes. He couldn't be reached by telephone for comment late Saturday night.

The highly contested race was marred by attack ads from both sides, most notable of which was a mailout and broadcast campaign by Farrar that alleged Hazel didn't properly prosecute a child sex offender.