Fistfight nearly breaks out in Louisiana legislature between state senators: report

Politics being a "blood sport" has always been a bit of a joke, but two Louisiana state Senators took the adage literally, The Daily Advertiser reported Monday.

Republican Sen. Stewart Cathey of West Monroe and Democrat Sen. Regina Barrow of Baton Rouge nearly broke into a fistfight on Monday after they debated a bill. At issue is the fight between the north and south of the state. Cathey's bill would "redistribute" $7.5 million across the state instead of sending the lump sum to East Baton Rouge Parish.

Cathey was furious that the tax collected on railcars throughout the state ended up being given only to East Baton Rouge instead of spreading the wealth around.

"Nobody knows why," Cathey said. But Barrow agreed; she had no clue why it was that way. She just wanted Cathey to approach the area lawmakers before presenting the bill. It's traditionally a courtesy for lawmakers to give their colleagues a heads-up when going after something in their districts.

"I don't know the rationale - it happened 50 years ago. But to just yank it away isn't a good way to go about it. It caught all of us off guard," Barrow said.

"Stewart Cathey came within 2 seconds of getting his butt whipped," Barrow later said. "If [Baton Rouge Mayor Sharon Weston Broome] hadn't walked up, I was about to charge him."

Barrow claimed Cathey stuck his finger in her face and cursed at her in the Capitol hallway.

"I'm competitive and passionate about legislation and my district, and I let my competitive juices get the best of me," Cathey excused his own behavior in speaking to The Daily Advertiser.

"Look, North Louisiana is almost always treated unfairly," he said. "This revenue should be shared across the state."

Cathey later apologized because another GOP colleague suggested he do it to his colleague.

Barrow said that the incident is still "too fresh," but eventually, she'd accept the apology.

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