ASCENSION PARISH – Former Sheriff Jeff Wiley will be a candidate for state representative in District 81, he announced Monday.

Wiley, a Republican who was first elected sheriff in 1996, managed the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office for 23 years, overseeing about 400 employees and a $30 million budget, a statement from his campaign said. He retired in 2019.

"I understand the importance of working with other agencies to get things done, and I know what it means to be responsible for decisions that are made for the public I love to serve," Wiley said in a prepared statement. "The voters of this district can trust me to do what is right for them."

District 81 includes parts of Ascension, Livingston and St. James parishes. It is represented by Speaker of the House Clay Schexnayder. He will not seek re-election because of term limits.

Election Day is Oct. 14, 2023.