GOP Race Forms in State

With the Republican nomination race ramping up instead of wrapping up, Louisiana politicos are lining up behind the three main candidates in advance of the March 24 preferential primary and the battle for state delegates that will go on from there.

If Romney or Gingrich hasn't knocked the other out by Super Tuesday, March 6, if Paul continues picking up delegates, especially in the caucus states, the race could intensify between Louisiana's March 24 primary and the June 2 state convention, where the state's 46 delegates to the Tampa convention will be chosen.

So far, nearly all statewide-elected Republicans and those in the congressional delegation are staying on the sidelines, as is Gov. Bobby Jindal, now that his choice Texas Gov. Rick Perry has dropped out. The lone exception is Congressman Rodney Alexander, who is state chairman for Mitt Romney, as he was in 2008.

Former Congressman Bob Livingston is closely involved in his long-time friend Newt Gingrich's campaign. Rep. Joel Robideaux, R-Lafayette, is state chairman for Ron Paul.

Ag Commissioner, Senator Look to Governor's Race

With only 45 months to go before the next governor's election, Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain and Sen. Gerald Long, R-Natchitoches, say they are looking at making the race.

Republican Strain is the more decisive, telling the Monroe News Star he will likely run and LaPolitics that he "is putting a team together."

"I love what I am doing," he said at the start of his second term, but added that he is "looking and thinking ahead."

Sen. Long says he is "actively thinking about it (but) not out there promoting it." While he expects a crowded field, Long sees an opportunity for a lesser known figure, especially if no one else from North Louisiana runs.

They Said It

"I make people uncomfortable."

--New Public Service Commission chairman Foster Campbell on why colleagues passed him over before, in the Advocate

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Also in this issue:

--Officials Help with Fundraising, Delegate Selection

--Campaigns Need to Compete at Caucuses

--Legacy Lawsuit Struggle Renewed

--Jindal Media Offensive Takes Names, Calls Names

--Youngest Senator Wins Second Largest Majority

--Adams Rides Jefferson Political Support to Win

--More They Said It

Jindal Throws Deep on K-12

Gov. Bobby Jindal unveiled a K-12 education revamp agenda that goes broader and deeper than many thought he would, and more than reform effort before, leaving legislators and advocates on both sides to wonder how much of it he can pass.

Potentially the most explosive is Jindal's plan to offer vouchers to families of up to 380,000 students, more than half of public school enrollment. The issue could split the broad coalition supporting the governor's plan, between progressive reformers and social conservatives, which force a scaling-back on eligibility in order to get a statewide program passed.

Hearing the scope and depth of Jindal's plan at the LABI meeting, some new members of the legislative education committees were wondering aloud what they had signed up for. The governor and his legislative leaders have stacked those panels to ensure that the bulk of the education package makes it to the floor, where the real fights will be.

Tea Party Drafts Landry for Congress

In what appears to be the first move toward a contested 3rd Congressional District election this year, the Tea Party of Louisiana has put its support behind Congressman Jeff Landry to run against Congressman Charles Boustany in their merged district.

The Tea Party statement read, "We have drafted Jeff because he will continue to represent the best interests of Louisiana, not the self-appointed 'ruling class' in Washington." That's a jab at Boustany, who is closer to the GOP leadership and Washington-based contributors.

They Said It

"If you thought we did nothing last year, we're really going to do nothing this year."

--Congressman Jeff Landry on Congress, in the Picayune

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ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

Jindal Won't Follow Perry to Gingrich

Caldwell to Court: "Never Mind"

Tea Party Drafts Landry for Congress

N.O. Council Frontrunner Is Mayor's Critic

Broussard Gets Pressure from Ex-Wife's Plea, Payoff Claims

Coastal Plan Has Bullets to Dodge

Reservoir Dispute Leads to Call for Water Policy

Popular Ex-Mayor Gets His Way on District, Committees

Veteran Pol Outruns Two Metro Councilwomen

They Said It

Panels Balanced But Controlled

The full make-up of legislative committee assignments shows that the leadership struck a bipartisan balance while the governor maintains control, particularly of the panels where the most sensitive issues will be handled.

The House list of chairmen, as LaPolitics reported last week, has nine Republicans and seven Democrats, while the Senate will have ten GOP chairmen and six Democrats.

That split remains fairly consistent in the full committee rosters. Two committees expected to see controversial measures in this term, however, Education and Retirement, are stacked toward the GOP.

Spreading the chairmanships around does not favor the Republicans as much as it does the governor, who controls more power by dividing it among the parties.

Jindal, Caldwell Clash Over BP Lawyer Fees

Behind the unity of a full slate of Republican statewide officials inaugurated on Monday, the governor and the attorney general are sharply divided over how attorneys working on BP oil spill cases should be compensated.

Attorney General Buddy Caldwell is asking the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals to throw out an order by District Judge Carl Barbier for the state to set aside 4 percent of any settlements for a committee of plaintiffs attorneys leading the litigation. Gov. Jindal supports Barbier's order and has pledged the state would not appeal it.

Jindal and Caldwell even disagree on who is empowered to represent the state. In one filing, Caldwell cites his constitutional authority as the state's chief legal officer and states, "One would have thought the governor's office would have had the good judgment to stay out of this issue."

"He is the governor," responds Jindal's communications chief Kyle Plotkin.

They Said It

"Big, Easy"

--Headline in Anniston, Ala., Star after BCS game

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Also in this issue:

Conservatives Agitate for Early Presidential Caucus

Education Watchers Waiting for Governor's Details

Education Summit to Push Reform Agenda

St. Bernard Seat Turned To GOP by Businessman

Democrat Withstands Republican Targeting

Alario, Peacock on Road to Relationship

Senators Take New Names

More They Said It

House Chairmanships Balanced

North Shore Republicans, Democrats and the next House Speaker's main rival fared very well in the naming of committee chairmen.

Speaker-to-be Chuck Kleckley, R-Lake Charles, kept his word to have chairmanships reflect the partisan make-up of the House. Democrats, who will comprise 43 percent of the lower chamber, will chair seven of 16 standing committees, or 44 percent. In addition, Rep. Walt Leger, D-New Orleans, has been tapped speaker pro tem.

The list of chairmen will be released Friday. LaPolitics assembled an unofficial list by interviews with members and other sources. Kleckley could not be reached for comment.

In individual cases, perhaps the biggest surprise is that Rep. Joel Robideaux, R-Lafayette, who opposed Kleckley and held out for a record vote until last month, received the most prized remaining chairmanship, over Ways & Means.

Democrats Seek Candidate Against Cong. Fleming

State and national Democrats seek to take over the 4th Congressional District this year, starting with finding a challenger to Congressman John Fleming.

Alone on the radar for now is Bossier City attorney Kyle Robinson, who told LaPolitics, "It's something I'm considering. I've discussed it with my family." He also has visited with national party officials, but he said, "If I decide to do it, it will be for the good of the district, not for the national party."

They Said It

"I almost have enough votes in Iowa to start a bowling league."

--Tweet by Buddy Roemer on his last-place finish in Iowa caucuses, in the Advocate

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Also in this issue:

--Rise of North Shore

--Roster of new committee chairmen

--Senators still in dark over Alario’s picks

--Profiles of new legislators: Reps. Paul Hollis, Vincent Pierre

--When Bobby meet Edwin

--Lobbyists tell how they get it done

--More They Said It

Leadership Settled, Budget Not

New House members listened attentively in their orientation session to the Republican and Democratic caucus leaders debate whether or not the governor intrudes on the legislative process. Reps. Tony Ligi, R-Kenner, and John Bel Edwards, D-Amite, both scored points, but the definitive answer came at day's end when Rep. Joel Robideaux, R-Lafayette, conceded the obvious and withdrew from the speakership race in favor of the governor's choice, Rep. Chuck Kleckley, R-Lake Charles.

With leadership questions put aside, the administration's new challenge emerged late Wednesday when the Revenue Estimating Conference lopped $198 million off the current fiscal year's revenue projections. The administration is expected to put forward a plan to deal with the shortfall at Friday's meeting of the Joint Budget Committee, though it has 30 days to act.

Poll Backs K-12 Reform; Blacks Most Dissatisfied

The governor continued his statewide school tour this week to build support for his unannounced K-12 reform agenda. But much of that support appears already there, according to a new poll released Wednesday that shows significant public backing for big changes in education.

A Southern Media poll paid for by businessman Lane Grigsby signals to lawmakers that the public is broadly dissatisfied with public schools and supportive of major changes. But the greatest dissatisfaction with the status of schools came from African-Americans, the traditional voter base for the current education establishment that is opposed to Jindal's education policies.

Fewer Female Legislators to Have Advantage

The well-reported decline in female legislators could give a strong advantage to those who remain when it comes to committee assignments. For all their talk of inclusion, Jindal and his leadership can hardly turn the chairmanships into a boys' club.

So there will be opportunities for women, but which ones? About the best-positioned is popular and respected Rep. Simone Champagne, R-Jeanerette, one of only two returning GOP women in the House. The other is Rep. Nancy Landry, R-Lafayette, who may have hurt her prospects by staying long with Robideaux.

They Said It

"Imagine if former LSU football Coach Curley Hallman had tenure."

--Sen. David Vitter on need for changing teacher tenure

Laying Groundwork for Education Push

As Gov. Bobby Jindal tours the state building support for his undisclosed K-12 legislative agenda, two polls--one paid for by him, the other by a conservative PAC active in BESE elections--indicates voters are ready for a bold approach.

The OnMessage poll, commissioned by Friends of Bobby Jindal, was taken Nov. 8-11 and sampled 500 people who voted in the primary and 300 registered voters who did not.

It found that 60 percent agreed with the statement that BESE should "pursue bold reforms that improve all our schools," while 29 percent preferred the statement that BESE members should "work with our teachers and focus just on the failing schools." Those results were 59-32 percent among African-Americans, stronger for "bold reform" than Democrats as a whole, at 52-38 percent. Republicans favored bold reform, 73-21 percent.

Ethics Opinion Sought on BESE Member's State Contract

Newly elected BESE member Jay Guillot, whose company holds $17 million in state contracts, is seeking a Board of Ethics opinion about what kind of business he can do with state and local governments in the future.

The request for an advisory opinion is on the docket of the ethics board's meeting next week.

According to his attorney Jimmy Faircloth's reading of state law, Hunt-Guillot can continue its project management state contracts, which were signed before he was elected, but it cannot renew them if Guillot continues to own 5 percent or more of the company. Its largest, a $16 million contract with the Division of Administration "for project management activities for infrastructure and other projects related to destruction incurred from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita," expires in June 2014.

They Said It

"We're not looking for CSI. We need Andy Griffith."

--Sheila Myers, defense attorney for accused killer Gerald Nickles, on the incomplete homicide investigation by New Orleans police, in a trial ending in a deadlocked jury, which included Mayor Mitch Landrieu, in the Picayune

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Also in this issue:

--Vitter, Landrieu Run Even in Jindal Poll

--New Legislators Not Alone in Not Knowing the Deal

--Broussard Charges Raise Questions of What's to Come

--Ethics Opinion Sought on BESE Member's State Contract

--It's Georges vs. Vitter in First 2015 Governor's Poll

--Profile: All Signs Pointed Lenar Whitney's Way

--Profile: Broad Education Posed Challenge for Jefferson

--Keeping It in the Families in St. Charles

--More They Said It

Standoff Consequences: Chairmanships on hold until speakership decided

House members were hoping by now to know who would be chairing most committees, but it appears those decisions, like in the Senate, won't be made until a new speaker is elected in January. While Rep. Chuck Kleckley, R-Lake Charles, is widely believed to have the votes, Rep. Joel Robideaux's, R-Lafayette, refusal to concede could be slowing the process down.

"There is no urgency," said Kleckley, who earlier stated he would start making assignments after the Nov. 19 runoffs. "It needs to be done by March 12 when we go into session," he said, and acknowledged that he might wait until the formal leadership elections on Jan. 9.

He denied that Robideaux's continued opposition is the reason he is taking his time, citing the need to strike a partisan and regional balance.

Kleckley believes any contest with Robideaux is over. "I've got way over 53 votes. My numbers have been rock solid since the end of October and have only grown since then."

Yet members and sources close to the process believe that Robideaux's holdout is complicating the process. Robideaux seems to hope so.

"Nothing changed," he said this week. "We're all just kinda waiting to see what the governor does regarding who will be chairmen, to see who's happy and who's mad." He says he has no plans on conceding.

Kleckley and Jindal could play that waiting game too, for it could put pressure on those who are committed to Robideaux. Said a source close to the governor, "There's no reason to be handing out candy until Christmas."

Jindal in Line to Lead GOP Governors

Gov. Jindal says he plans to serve out his second term, but he will remain very engaged on the national Republican scene. He returns today from the annual Republican Governors Association as the organization's dinner chairman. It might sound like a social gig but it is the third leadership position behind chairman and vice chairman.

That puts him in line for the chairmanship in 2014, when gubernatorial elections will be held in 36 states. The chairman's job is to help Republicans win as many of them as possible, which should put him on the road even more than with his frequent out-of-state travels in his first term. It will also build for him a wide political and fundraising network for presidential election years to come.

They Said It

"The senator is grateful for the governor's gracious bipartisan gesture, but he has been there, done that and has the t-shirt and chad to prove it."

--Sen. Joe Leiberman's spokesman on presidential candidate Buddy Roemer's preference of him as a running mate, in the Picayune

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Also in this issue:

--Speaker’s Standoff Impact

--Pushback on Alario Little Felt in Senate

--Education Agenda Starts Moving Next Week

--LCRM Model Helps GOP Take Mississippi Legislature

--Kenny Cox Ran Race Like Military Campaign

--Allain Starts Early to Pull Out Close Win

--Civics Lesson Hard for Legislator to Give

--More They Said It

Vacation Week. Next Issue: Dec. 1

Reform Candidates Sweep BESE Runoffs

Supporters of sweeping changes in K-12 education won more than they thought was possible two months ago, after candidates they backed convincingly won all three BESE runoffs.

Incumbent Chas Roemer, challenger Kira Orange Jones and education newcomer Carolyn Hill all received more than 55 percent of votes. Along with three members elected in the primary and three appointed by the governor, supporters of Gov. Jindal’s agenda now hold nine of 11 BESE seats. In addition, member Walter Lee, who was unopposed, has signaled his willingness to back the governor’s choice for a new superintendent, John White, the current head of the Recovery School District.

More Elections News on Subscriber Log-in Page

--More on BESE elections

--Tarver Wins Only Comeback Bid

--GOP, Democrats Split Runoffs, Claim Victory

--Revenge of Jaguar Nation

--Every Vote Does Count

Aiming for BESE Sweep

In the three remaining BESE runoffs, candidates endorsed by the Alliance for Better Classrooms and the GOP Victory Fund, which support Jindal's agenda, led in their primaries and have outspent opponents backed by the Coalition for Public Education.

The must-win for the Jindal/ABC team is 6th District incumbent Chas Roemer, an outspoken critic of public education practices, against retired Ascension Parish superintendent Donald Songy, a Democrat.

Roemer has declined invitations to debate Songy. In GOP-paid TV ads, he expresses support for Jindal's agenda without getting too specific. That may be due to conflicting attitudes about state-sponsored reforms in Livingston and Ascension parishes, whose citizens seem satisfied with performance of community schools.

Most surprising is that two of three districts in play are minority seats that were earlier thought to be safe for the public education coalition. Yet in the 2nd and 8th districts, ABC, the PAC started by contractor Lane Grigsby, is sending out mail pieces for Kira Orange Jones and Carolyn Hill, thus out-spending incumbent Louella Givens and Jim Guillory, respectively.

Parties Square Off in House Races

Once the runoffs are decided, Republicans aim to control 59 to 62 of 105 districts in the new House. With no partisan contests left in the Senate, the upper chamber will have 24 Republicans and 15 Democrats.

Counting races decided or those with two Republicans in runoffs, the GOP has secured 54 House seats. Their candidates face Democrats in seven runoffs and an independent in one. Black Democrats face white independents in two minority districts.

Republicans claim a clear advantage in five partisan runoffs, while three contests are close to even. The Democrats' best hope to win back a GOP seat rests with Kenny Cox of Mansfield, an African-American retired military officer who is trying to unseat Republican Rick Nowlin of Natchitoches in a redrawn minority district.

They Said It

"If lies determine a race, I'm a beat duck."

--Rep. Billy Chandler on what his opponent Terry Brown is saying about him, in the Town Talk

"I never realized what a terrible guy I was until I ran for office.

--Brown on GOP attack ads

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Also in this issue:

--More on BESE Races

--Senate Comeback Bids Make for Hot Runoffs

--Three Acadiana House Seats Among Most Contested

--Parties Square Off in House Races

--Party Being Tardy Prompts Legal Battle

--Conservative Committees Spend Nearly $4 Million

--Grigsby Not Through Yet

--Mobile St. Bernard Voters Could Be Lawbreakers

--More They Said It

Leadership Balancing Act

Divvying legislative power is delicate task

The legislative leaders tapped by Gov. Jindal won't start announcing committee chairmanships until after the Nov. 19 runoffs in the House, and likely not until after the Senate president is formally elected on Jan. 9. But Sen. John Alario and Rep. Chuck Kleckley are wading into the delicate task of allocating committee chairmanships and vice chairmanships, in consultation with governor's chief of staff Stephen Waguespack.

Senators who have been with Alario this week say he is not talking about his choices, but there is a lot of conjecture among members about the next Finance chairman. Normally, the chairman is chosen from members of that committee, but senators say consideration is being given Sen. John Smith, R-Leesville, provided he can subdue challenger James David Cain in the runoff.

Also in contention are Sen. Mike Walsworth, R-West Monroe, who waged a campaign for president, and Sen. Jack Donahue, R-Mandeville, both committee members.

Ways & Means Chair Considered Wide Open

The two other financial chairmanships appear very open. That is not good news for current Ways & Means Committee Chairman Hunter Greene, R-Baton Rouge. He showed more independence than the governor is looking for on the committee that handles tax bills and capital outlay, the construction budget.

Ways & Means could be a more desirable committee to serve on than Appropriations. With tight budgets ahead, members amendments, if any, will be very limited. But there will be one-time funds available for new construction projects, after most of the current term was spent working off the commitments made in the Blanco administration.

They Said It

"We had millions of people come to Bourbon Street in the last 18 months, and the worst thing that happened to them was a hangover."

--N.O. Police Superintendent Ronal Serpas on Halloween night shootings, in the Picayune

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Also in this issue:

Jindal in ’19?

Democrats in Line for Pro Tems, Committees

Shreveport Sheriff Backs Tarver Over Sen. Jackson

Acadiana House Races Favor Senate Challenger

Parties Vying for Pick-ups in House Runoffs

PACs Extend Battle Lines in BESE Races

Lone Constitutional Amendment Will Be Costly to Decide

They Said It

Sealing Leadership Deals

The governor's chief of staff says that "overwhelming" majorities of both houses support the governor's choices for Senate President and Speaker of the House. Yet, just to be sure, decisions on key chairmanships, particularly in the Senate, might not be made until after the leadership votes are taken in January.

While there is no competition left for Sen. John Alario, some of his Republican colleagues have heard complaints from conservative constituents opposed to the former Democrat who served two terms as speaker under former Gov. Edwin Edwards. Before Jindal made his choice known, there was some talk among senators that one might call for a voice vote, to put Republicans on the spot.

Delaying some or all committee assignments until after the vote on the presidency would be the ultimate leverage. "If somebody decides they don't want to vote for me, that's up to them," said Alario. "We'll deal with it from there."

LSUS, La. Tech Union On Higher Ed Agenda

The conversation about reorganizing universities in North Louisiana continues and appears headed toward the top of the higher education agenda.

"I don't know what LSUS will be, but it's going to happen," said a member of the Board of Regents. "It will be the next thing to happen in higher ed."

Shreveport Initiative, a group of business leaders seeking to strengthen higher education in northwest Louisiana, is paying for a study of a possible merger of LSU Shreveport and Louisiana Tech, with linkage to the LSU Health Sciences Center. LSU President John Lombardi criticized the effort last month and said the system would consider a collaboration between the two schools but not a merger.

Yet higher education observers see some new regional alliance being developed in the near future, with or without the support of the LSU System.

They Said It

"It did not go swimmingly well."

--Rep. Joel Robideaux on meeting with the governor over the speakership, in the Advocate

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Also in this issue:

--House Speaker rival "sticking to my guns"

--Herman Cain claimed leak came from Jindal consultant

--Education chairmanships targets of change

--Democrats helping one senator, not another

--Race still on for BESE seat in N.O.

--Bribery, slander charges traded in House race

--Constitutional amendment only choice for many voters

--More They Said It

Big Night for Incumbents

Gov. Bobby Jindal’s 66 percent vote against nine opponents tops the winning margin for the open-primary era, though it falls short of John McKeithen’s 80 percent margin over three opponents in 1967.

Two other statewide incumbents held off challengers backed by Sen. David Vitter. Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne won nearly everything north of the coast as he beat Billy Nungesser, 54-46 percent. Secretary of State Tom Schedler beat Speaker of the House Jim Tucker by one percentage point. Both the incumbents were well outspent by their challengers.

Despite Nungesser’s play to combine the Republican right wing and organized black support, Dardenne won in the mainstream. Nungesser carried all the coastal parishes, but the lieutenant governor swept nearly all of the rest of the state.

Tucker failed in a similar strategy to unseat Schedler, who hammered away at Tucker’s push for the aborted legislative payraise.

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These stories are available on the Subscribers Only page

--3 BESE Incumbents Ousted; New Supermajority at Hand

--Democrats Hold Senate Seats

--GOP Misses Takeover Targets in House

--Rainy Day Fund Amendment Failure Could Put Hole in Budget

Jindal at 66%, Dardenne, Schedler Win

With nearly all the vote in, Gov. Bobby Jindal has 66 percent of the vote against nine opponents, with Tara Hollis a distant second.

Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne is winning everything north of the coast as he wins 53-47 percent lead, while Secretary of State Tom Schedler maintains an 11,000 vote lead on Speaker of the House Jim Tucker. The victories by the incumbents mark a defeat for Sen. David Vitter, who made an unprecedented involvement in the statewide races.

BESE Challengers Win, Governor's Side Gains

In BESE races, three challengers knocked off incumbents, while another leads going into a runoff.

In District 5, Jay Guillot ousted incumbent Keith Guice, 53-47 percent, while in District 7, Holly Boffy crushed incumbent Dale Bayard. In the New Orleans-based 2nd District, Kira Orange Jones leads incumbent Louella Givens going into a runoff.

All three challengers were backed by business PACs pressing the so-called progressive agenda over incumbents backed by teacher unions and superintendents.

Yet the so-called progressive faction loses a solid vote in Glenny Lee Buquet, who was soundly defeated by Republican newcomer Lottie Beebe, backed by the Coalition for Public Education.

Jim Garvey is headed for re-election in District 1, while Chas Roemer was forced into a runoff with former Ascension Superintendent Donald Songy.

As it stands, allies of the governor’s agenda won three seats in the primary and lead in two races going to runoffs. If Chas Roemer and Kira Orange Jones prevail in their runoffs, the governor will have, including his three appointees, 8 of 11 seats on the state school board.

Democrats Hold Senate Seats

Republicans failed to win the three targeted Senate seats now held by Democrats. In the closest race, Sen. Ben Nevers, D-Bogalusa, overcame local tea party leader Beth Mizell, a newcomer.

Sen. Eric Lafleur, D-Ville Platte, easily beat Republican Paul Miller.

In an open seat race, Rep. Gary Smith, D-Norco, turned back Republican Garret Monti to take the River Parishes seat being vacated by Senate President Joel Chaisson, D-Destrehan.

Republicans nevertheless gained two districts being vacated by Democrats when only Republicans qualified. Republicans will hold 24 Senate seats to 15 held by Democrats.

GOP Misses Takeover Targets in House

Despite the combined efforts of Republican PACs led by Gov. Bobby Jindal and Sen. David Vitter, Democratic incumbents protected their seats in a number of House races.

Reps. Neil Abramson of New Orleans, James Armes III of Leesville, Bernard LeBas of Ville Platte, Robert Johnson of Marksville and Jack Montoucet of Scott all won re-election in the primary over well-financed Republican challengers.

Rainy Day Fund Amendment Failure Could Put Hole in Budget

The only constitutional amendment to fail, No. 4, could cause a problem for the current budget. Its failure could force the state to repay in the current fiscal year money that was taken from the Rainy Day Fund in 2009.

GOP Candidates Court Democrats

The unprecedented all-GOP lieutenant governor and secretary of state elections wind down to the same question as the bygone races between white Democrats: who gets the black vote?

In the race for the No. 2 post, Jay Dardenne and Billy Nungesser, while splitting Republicans and white Democrats, are competing on less familiar ground for the support of African-American officials and organizations through their printed ballots and get-out-the-vote operations.

The Dardenne team feels good about internal polling showing him leading, but a strong showing by Nungesser among blacks, particularly in Orleans and Jefferson, could make the race much closer.

BESE Election Spills into House Speaker Race

The hotly contested BESE election in southwestern Louisiana was causing ripples in the race for Speaker of the House until both top leadership hopefuls got on the same side.

Rep. Chuck Kleckley, R-Lake Charles, gave challenger Holly Boffy a $1,000 check on Thursday, though he backed incumbent Dale Bayard, also of Lake Charles, with a contribution in 2007. His strongest rival, Rep. Joel Robideaux, R-Lafayette, endorsed Boffy earlier and said it better aligned him with Gov. Jindal, a big Boffy backer who has yet to state his preference for speaker. The next speaker will be expected to carry the governor's ambitious K-12 package in next year's session.

LaPolitics to Report on Elections Early and Often

Election coverage by LaPolitics Weekly will come to subscribers in waves, beginning election night on Lapolitics.com.

An election overview will go out to e-mail subscribers on Sunday, which will also be posted on the subscribers page at Lapolitics.com. (Subscribers can register for user names and passwords at the Lapolitics.com homepage under "Subscribers only."

Next week's issue with a full analysis will be published on Tuesday or Wednesday.

They Said It

"I just hope no one ever does his family what he's doing mine."

--Senate candidate James David Cain on attack on him paid for by Gov. Bobby Jindal

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Also in this issue:

--Opposition Research Breakdown: Nungesser got pay raise too

--Secretary of State race too undecided to call

--Democrats look to hold onto contested Senate seats

--GOP, legislators take sides in Shreveport races

--BESE election spills into House Speaker race

--Vitter could jump into leadership races next

--Two more BESE incumbents face hard challenges

--Senate races to watch

--More They Said It

GOP, Business PACs in Coalition for BESE Races

"BESE races are where the action is," said the governor's campaign manager Timmy Teepell. He said the GOP Victory Fund has spent over $500,000 on TV ads and direct mail for its four endorsed BESE candidates, two challengers and two incumbents.

The GOP Victory Fund is helping finance TV ads for Jay Guillot, who is challenging Keith Guice in Monroe, and Holly Boffy against incumbent Dale Bayard in the southwest district.

The party is part of a loose coalition of business and education groups that are spending on BESE races, including the LABI regional PACs, contractor Lane Grigsby's Alliance for Better Classrooms and the Associated Builders and Contractors' Pelican PAC.

Candidates Jab at Each Other in Debate

In their League of Women Voters debate on Thursday, Nungesser challenged Dardenne not to practice law while lieutenant governor, while Dardenne quizzed Nungesser on the departments and funding of the tourism office.

Dardenne responded that he received no income from his law practice last year or this year, but that he "keeps the doors open" and pays his private legal aide's salary.

Nungesser said he did not have on hand information about the structure and funding of the agency because he hasn't had the job for ten months.

They Said It

"I like it all, as you can see."

--Billy Nungesser, when asked his favorite Louisiana dish

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Also in this issue:

--More on lieutenant governor's race

--Vitter campaigning with Tucker

--Poll: Tide favors incumbents

--Education issue spills over to Senate races

--Democrat Nevers is main GOP target

--Democratic party works to defend two senators

--Some partisan contests to be settled in primary

--Walsworth takes leadership campaign on road

--Fayard looking at running for Congress

--More They Said It

Republicans Reach for Black Voters

At the close of qualifying, it became obvious that the race for lieutenant governor between Republicans Jay Dardenne and Billy Nungesser would be decided by Democratic voters. To that end, Nungesser is making a concerted effort to enlist the turnout support of African-American political leaders, according to some whom have been contacted.

Dardenne can count on the support of friends among black leaders in his Baton Rouge base, but the Plaquemines Parish president is calling and visiting leaders and ministers in New Orleans and all around the state.

"No Republican has reached out the way he has," says Tony Clayton, the Southern University board chairman and a political leader active in the River Parishes. Clayton, who supports Dardenne, says the incumbent can "stem the tide" somewhat through robo calls using known figures, especially in the capital region.

Governor Visiting on Leadership Choices

The governor appears not to be waiting until the elections are over before taking the temperature of the Legislature on the leadership races.

Lawmakers say they are being called in for individual meetings with Gov. Jindal and Chief of Staff Stephen Waguespack and being asked three things: their top three choices for Speaker of the House and Senate President; who they don't want; and what committees they want to serve on.

Chief of Staff Stephen Waguespack confirmed that subject matter of the governor's visits. "Getting the leadership right will be important for everyone," he said.

They Said It

"I think a lot of them are going to wonder: 'why hasn't he taken me to lunch?'"

--C.B. Forgotston on Rep. John LaBruzzo using $18,000 from his campaign account for meals, often listed on disclosure reports as "constituent meal," in Gambit

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Also in this issue:

--2/3s of African-Americans Undecided in No. 2 Race

--Automated Poll Shows Virtual Tie

--Secretary of State Candidates Poll Even

--Sheriff, Contractor Indictments Could Lead to Others

--Primary to Decide Most Senate Races

--Rep. Smiths Are Pressed Hard for Senate Seats

--Southern Alums Opposing Two Black Lawmakers

--Streamlining Commission Checking on Progress

--School Grades Look Bad, But Improvement Steady

--More They Said It

Real Race Begins for No. 2

While the two lieutenant governor candidates criticize each other for skipping forums, they have started going toe to toe in negative TV ads, kicking off an already bitter race between Republicans eight days before the start of early voting.

The better-funded campaign of the Plaquemines Parish president started the week with both positive ads for himself and attack ads on Dardenne. The lieutenant governor goes up Friday night with ads hitting back on Nungesser. Both sides promise to continue the barrages unabated until the Oct. 22 election.

This race between Republicans has been marked by the unprecedented involvement of Sen. David Vitter on Nungesser's behalf, and the results will say a lot about how much his active support helps or hurts.

GOP Rescinds Endorsement of James David Cain

In a pitched battle between Republicans in west Louisiana, the state Republican Party has rescinded its endorsement of ex-Sen. James David Cain, who is challenging Sen. John Smith.

The committee's action two months ago caught off-guard Gov. Jindal, who reaffirmed his endorsement of Smith, raised money for him and recently did ads that asked voters not to return to "the politics of the past."

Cain responded, "He (Jindal) wants to run ads against me and he don't want me to run ads against him. This ain't no communist country."

Vitter Helps Lorusso in GOP Race with LaBruzzo

Of the several legislative races between only Republicans, the redistricting-merged match between Reps. John LaBruzzo of Metairie and Nick Lorusso of New Orleans stands out.

Sen. David Vitter jumped into it last week by attending a fundraiser for Lorusso. His office said Vitter's support for Lorusso is personal and not connected to his Louisiana Committee for a Republican Majority. Yet it sends a strong message, given that LaBruzzo currently represents Vitter's old House district.

They Said It

"They sent me to prison for life, and I came out with a wife."

--Edwin Edwards, in the Ouachita Citizen

Rivals Jab Each Other

An unprecedented statewide election season nearly devoid of Democrats began civilly enough with a debate between the Republican secretary of state candidates, incumbent Tom Schedler and Speaker of the House Jim Tucker.

The discourse was rougher in the lieutenant governor's race as Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser used the Internet and an endorsement to get in his first licks on incumbent Jay Dardenne.

At the debate sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Louisiana, Schedler and Tucker agreed that the main function of the office, conducting elections, is going well, but they differed on how they would improve corporate records and museums.

They jabbed at each other over more cutting issues that have nothing to do with the office: Tucker's support of the aborted 2008 legislative pay raise and Schedler having two homestead exemptions for three years.

They both want to restore the $870,000 cut from museum budgets last session, and both want to make the corporate records division more supportive of new businesses. Schedler said it was up to the Legislature to provide more funding, while Tucker promised to "scrub the budget" to come up with the money.

Field to Begin Forming for 2014 Senate Race

With Gov. Jindal having committed to serve out his second term and with Louisiana turning from purple to bright red, the handicapping among Republicans has begun for the 2014 Senate race.

Sen. Mary Landrieu, the last Deep South Democrat in the Senate, says she is running for re-election. Two have previously declared their willingness to challenge her: Congressman Jeff Landry and BESE member Chas Roemer. Also said to be interested are three more congressmen: Bill Cassidy, Dr. John Fleming and Steve Scalise.

They Said It

"We're killing the rodents of the house to let the pests thrive."

--Southern University professor Ghanashyam Joshi on school policy to not let faculty members rescind their agreements to accept furloughs after one-third of the faculty refused to do so, in the Advocate

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Also in this issue:

--Nungesser on the Air, Hits Dardenne on Internet

--Governor Backs, Shuns Incumbents with Endorsements

--Senate Outlook: GOP Shoots for 2/3 Majority

--House Outlook: Democrats Have More to Defend

--Teaching Hospital Plan Poised for Legislative OK

--BESE Races Getting Unprecedented Attention

--Edwards at Press Club

--More They Said It