A ‘gentle giant’: State Sen. Larry Selders, who represented Baton Rouge, dies

State Sen. Larry Selders, D-Baton Rouge, died suddenly Tuesday evening after collapsing at his son’s football practice. He leaves behind his wife, Dr. Kendra Michael, and two sons, Larry and Luke. 

Selders, 44, joined the Louisiana Legislature as a state representative for House District 67 in 2021. He then won a special election for the 14th Senate District in 2025, succeeding Cleo Fields who had won a seat in Congress.

Selders was the owner and director of Focused Family Services, a substance abuse and mental health rehabilitation clinic in Baton Rouge. He also owned a real estate company, Selders Development Group.

He had previously served on the Baton Rouge Recreation and Parks Commission.

“He’s leaving a big void. It’s a big loss,” said Collis Temple Jr., whose son, Elliott, had been close friends with Selders since they attended kindergarten together at University Laboratory School.

Selders worked for Collis Temple Jr. running a group home for troubled adolescents while earning his bachelor’s degree in social work at Southern University. 

As a state senator, Selders took a special interest in issues related to children and mental health because of his professional background, said Senate President Pro Tempore Regina Barrow, D-Baton Rouge. 

She called Selders’ death “devastating” and described him as a “gentle giant.”

Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, said Selders had a very easy working relationship with his colleagues.

“It’s heartbreaking and unbelievable that he’s gone. He was the happiest member at all times,” Henry said. “He had a warm personality that made you feel like you had known him forever.”

Senate Democratic Caucus Chairman Gerald Boudreaux of Lafayette said Selders asked a lot of questions as a new senator and thought deeply about how to make a big impact on the state as a member of the minority party.

“He wanted to know how to get things done,” Boudreaux said.

State Legislative Black Caucus Chair Candace Newell, D-New Orleans, called Sellers a leader in the statehouse. 

“Larry was a man of unwavering integrity, quiet strength, and deep compassion for the people he served. He understood that public service is about lifting others, and he approached every decision with humility, wisdom, and an unwavering commitment to justice,” she said in a written statement.

In a statement, U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans, described Selders as “a devoted husband, loving father, and a genuinely good man whose heart was always with the people he represented.”

“His life was defined not only by the offices he held, but by the way he cared for others and worked to make our state a better place,” Carter added.

In a social media post, Gov. Jeff Landry said Selders was “respected by all!”

Selders missed several weeks at the end of this year’s legislative session after being hospitalized with a heart condition in early May but was thought to be on the mend.

He made a brief visit to the State Capitol at the very end of the session. Barrow said she also saw Selders at the Essence Festival in New Orleans this past weekend, though she said he was staying away from crowds because he was still recuperating.