State Representative Clay Schexnayder, the 69th Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives, is a conservative Republican who was first elected to the Louisiana Legislature in 2011. He serves District 81, representing the citizens of Ascension, Livingston, St. James and St. John Parishes. Prior to being elected as Speaker in 2020, Schexnayder served for 4 years as Chairman of the Agriculture, Forestry and Aquaculture Committee.
During his time in office, Speaker Schexnayder has been recognized by Louisiana Family Forum, Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, Louisiana Federation of Children, and Southwest Louisiana Chambers of Commerce for his work to better our state and improve the quality of life for Louisiana citizens. He has consistently voted to make Louisiana a more business-friendly state, protect the unborn, and support parent’s rights in choosing how and where their children are educated.
Speaker Schexnayder graduated from French Settlement High School and the Allen Institute of Atlanta where he was certified in Automotive Service Excellence. He began his career as a race car driver and spent nearly a decade of work with Firestone. He has driven and worked with IMCA/UMP modified race cars in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas. Since 1998, he has owned and operated Car Craft Automotive in Sorrento.
Speaker Schexnayder has served as vice chair of the Congressional Sportsman Foundation and has been involved in numerous local community activities. He is a member of the Ascension Sportsmen Against Poachers, the National Rifle Association, and the Coastal Conservation Association.
In his spare time, he stays involved in local community projects and enjoys working with cars and horses. He is married to Phoebe Keller and has four children and eight grandchildren. His family proudly belongs to both St. Joseph Catholic Church in French Settlement and Pine Grove Baptist Church in Bayou Barbary.