[2] Donelon began his career in public office serving on the Jefferson Parish Council from 1978 to 1980.

As a state lawmaker, he chaired the House Committee on Insurance and co-chaired the Republican Legislative Delegation.

[5] Donelon subsequently won the office in a special election held in the fall of 2006 by defeating Republican State Senator James David Cain of Beauregard Parish.

[6] While Insurance Commissioner, Donelon allowed a temporary rehabilitation, known as a "conservation proceeding", which gave Lighthouse Insurance time to raise $65 million in new capital investments despite the company reporting three straight years of net losses from 2020 storms in Louisiana.

In March 2022, Donelon signed an order placing Lighthouse Insurance in liquidation proceedings after its losses from Hurricane Ida.