Marvin wins another term as DA

Pictured from left are Camille Marvin, Incumbent Schuyler Marvin’s daughter, Marvin, Caroline Gantt and Vincent Wilson. Sean Green/Press-Herald

Incumbent Schuyler Marvin rode a strong wave of support in his home parish to turn back a strong challenge from Bossier attorney Whit Graves and win another six-year term as Bossier-Webster District Attorney.

With all precincts reporting in both parishes, Marvin totaled 23,791 votes to Graves’ 21,215. The breakdown of votes cast Tuesday show Marvin winning in Webster Parish by just over 4,500 votes with 8,835 to Graves’ 4,315.

In Bossier Parish, Graves won by a total of 16,900 to 14,956 for Marvin.

“It was very nice when the early votes came out first to confirm that the people in your home town and parish, those who know you best will come out for you,” Marvin said Tuesday evening. “We are so very appreciative to Minden and Webster Parish. And, we’re very happy with our showing in Bossier.”

Graves said he knew it would be difficult to overcome the incumbent in his home territory, but believed his campaign had made inroads.

“We felt like we would win Bossier, and we did by nearly 2,000 votes,” Graves said late Tuesday. “We knew it would come down to whether or not he took a big share of Webster, which he did. We thought we had made bigger inroads there.”

Marvin said the win showed voters approved of the many programs initiated by the DA’s office.

“We have lots of partnerships with judges that take a burden off the court system like finding ways to dispose of juvenile cases without tying up court time, which is at a premium,” he said. “We work closely with the judges and sheriffs in both parishes. Relationships are critical.”

Marvin said his office is trying cases in court that are less than a year old, an accomplishment which he said is tough to match.

“You can drive hours down the interstate in either way before you find a district attorney’s office that does that,” he said.

Both Marvin and Graves said there would be no break from a busy work schedule.

“I’ll be in court at 9 o’clock tomorrow (Wednesday) morning. Life and work goes on,” Graves said.

“We will be right back at it tomorrow morning. Court goes on and I imagine I’ll be pretty busy,” Marvin said.