Michael G. Strain

Strain is a cousin of St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Rodney "Jack" Strain, Jr. He is a former member of the Sheriff’s Office Reserves and a former commissioner for the St. Tammany Parish Fire District. He was chosen by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as one of three Louisiana veterinarians to have been instructed in awareness of bio-terrorism. Dr. Strain is a past president and board member for the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation and is affiliated with the Louisiana Cattlemen's Association.

Strain is an announced candidate for a fourth term in the 2019 primary election.

Strain earlier said that he would likely run for governor when the seat is contested again in 2015. The incumbent, Republican Bobby Jindal, was term-limited.

In the October 24, 2015 primary, Strain defeated the Democrat Charlie Greer of Natchez in Natchitoches Parish; a fellow Republican, Jamie LaBranche of LaPlace in St. John the Baptist Parish, and a Green Party opponent, Adrian "Ace" Juttner of Abita Springs in St. Tammany Parish. Strain polled 603,557 votes (58.2 percent) to Greer's 312,335 (30.1 percent), LaBranche's 85,363 (8.2 percent), and Juttner's 36,180 (3.5 percent).

On June 28, 2013, Strain bowed out of further consideration in the gubernatorial race and announced in New Orleans that he will instead seek a third term as agriculture commissioner; in his words, "to keep the job I love." Lieutenant Governor Jay Dardenne, who is expected to seek the governorship, said he is pleased that Strain is seeking reelection because the two would have appealed to the same segment of voters had both entered the race to succeed Bobby Jindal.

In 2012, Strain, presumably seeking future allies in a race for governor, became the first statewide or multiparish political figure to make an endorsement in the heated Third Congressional District race between Republican incumbents Charles Boustany and Jeff Landry. Strain chose Boustany, the winning candidate, having cited the representative's past support for the agricultural sector.

Strain won a second term as agriculture commissioner in the primary held on October 22, 2011. With 640,631 votes (66.5 percent), he defeated two politically unknown opponents, Democrat Jamie LaBranche, who trailed with 267,576 votes (27.8 percent), and Republican Belinda Alexandrenko, who polled 54,842 votes (5.7 percent).

A former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Covington in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, Strain took his new position with his state's other constitutional officers on January 14, 2008.

Early in 2007, Strain entered the race for Commissioner of Agriculture & Forestry of Louisiana in opposition to the 28-year Democratic incumbent Robert Fulton "Bob" Odom, Jr., who in recent years had been engulfed in multiple personal corruption allegations.

State Representative, 74th Representative District, 2003

In 1999, Strain was elected to the Louisiana House from District 74, a conservative constituency located in St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Washington parishes. In 2000, he succeeded a cousin, R.H. "Bill" Strain, a veteran Democratic lawmaker. Strain was re-elected without opposition in 2003.

State Representative, 74th Representative District, 1999

In the October 20, open primary, Odom led Strain, 505,466 (41 percent) to 494,726 (40 percent). Two other candidates, Republicans Wayne Carter, a conservative member of the East Baton Rouge Parish Metro council from Odom's own Zachary, and Don Johnson, a farmer from Transylvania in East Carroll Parish, trailed with 152,872 (13 percent) and 69,469 (6 percent), respectively. The total Republican vote hence totaled 59 percent. Johnson had also run against Odom in 1987, 1991, 1995, and 2003.

Michael Gene Strain (born December 2, 1958) is the first Republican ever elected to the position of Louisiana Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner.

A veterinarian and rancher, Strain was born in Covington to Charles "Butch" Strain, Jr., and Carol Strain of Abita Springs, a small town in St. Tammany Parish. He graduated in 1976 from Covington High School. In 1983, he earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Louisiana State University. He and his wife, veterinarian Dr. Susan Searcy Strain (born January 31, 1958), a native of Hot Springs, Arkansas, operate Claiborne Hill Veterinary Hospital in Covington. The Strains have two children, Melissa and Michael. They attend St. Jane's d'Chantal Catholic Church in Abita Springs.