Campaigns ready to move into high gear
With the Louisiana Legislature’s session over, expect the races for state legislative seats to move into high gear. Members of the Legislature are forbidden to hold fundraisers while they are in session. At the same time, the many races on the Oct. 24 ballot should start to firm up. Let’s take a look at where things stand, looking at declared and rumors about potential candidates.
Senate District 36 – Current Republican Sen. Robert Adley is term-limited after serving three consecutive terms. Two candidates have announced – state Rep. Henry Burns and Bossier attorney Ryan Gatti. Both are Republicans.
Senate District 37 – This seat is held by Republican Sen. Barrow Peacock, who can seek re-election to another term. So far, he has no opposition and likely won’t have any.
Senate District 38 – Current Republican Sen. Sherri Cheek Buffington is term-limited. There are two candidates who have announced – incumbent state Rep. Richie Burford and Caddo Assistant District Attorney Cloyce Clark. Both are Republicans.
Senate District 39 – It’s currently held by Democratic Sen. Greg Tarver, who can seek another term. While he has no declared opposition, rumors persist that former Democratic Mayor Cedric Glover will challenge Tarver. Glover has not made a public declaration.
House District 1 – It’s represented by Republican Rep. Jim Morris, who can seek another term. So far, he has no opposition and it’s a good bet he will be unopposed.
House District 2 – Democratic Rep. Roy Burrell is term-limited. Dr. Terence Vinson, assistant chancellor of enrollment management at Southern University has officially announced. Former Commissioner and City Councilman Sam Jenkins is also expected to enter this race. Both are Democrats.
House District 3 – Incumbent Democratic Rep. Barbara Norton can run for another term. So far, she has no announced opposition.
House District 4 – This seat is currently held by Democratic Rep. Patrick Williams, who can seek another term. However, the rumor is that the Democratic Party is seeking an opponent for him because of his association with Republican Bill Cassidy during the 2014 U.S. Senate race. Two possible candidates are being mentioned – accountant Reginald Johnson and Commissioner Lyndon B. Johnson. Both are Democrats.
House District 5 – Incumbent Republican Rep. Alan Seabaugh can run for another term. So far, he has no announced opposition.
House District 6 – This seat is held by Republican Rep. Thomas Carmody. He has no announced opposition so far and likely will be unopposed.
House District 7 – This seat has created some controversy. Incumbent Republican Rep. Richie Burford can run for another term in the House. However, he has chosen to run for the Senate District 38 seat being vacated by Sherri Cheek Buffington, who, in turn, will run for Burford’s House seat. No opponent for Buffington at this time.
House District 8 – Incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Johnson is seeking a full term, having won a special election to replace Rep. Jeff Thompson, who was elected to the District Court. Some politicos in Bossier are not happy with the stir created by Johnson’s “religious freedom” bill in the recent session of the Legislature and are looking for someone to oppose him. So far, no one has stepped forward.
House District 9 – Republican Rep. Henry Burns could run for another term, however, he has elected to run for the Senate District 36 seat being vacated by Sen. Robert Adley. Two candidates have announced for the District 9 seat. They are Dodie Horton, who is the legislative assistant for Burns, and Mike McHalffey, a real estate appraiser and a member of the Louisiana Racing Commission. Both are Republicans.
House District 10 – Incumbent Democratic Rep. Gene Reynolds can seek another term. He has no announced opposition so far.
Challengers to incumbents could still emerge. Qualifying is not until Sept. 8-10 for the Oct. 24 election.
One of the more interesting local races will be for Caddo District Attorney to replace Charles Rex Scott, who died unexpectedly in April after serving about a year of a second term Presently, there are five candidates. They are, in alphabetical order, Interim DA Dale Cox, attorneys Douglas Lee Harville, Mark Rogers and Casey Simpson, and Assistant District Attorney Dhu Thompson.
The political rumor mill is all abuzz about whether 2nd Circuit Court of Appeal Judge James Stewart and/or District Judge Mike Pitman will enter the race. It is unlikely both judges would run, and judges have to give up their judicial seat to do so. Other names are also being mentioned are attorneys Ron Lattier, Ron Stamps, Craig Smith and Don Hathaway Jr. Stewart, Lattier, and Stamps are African-Americans. Sources say black leaders and ministers are meeting and definitely want an African-American in the race.
Lou Gehrig Burnett, an award-winning journalist, has been involved with politics for 44 years and was a congressional aide in Washington, D.C., for 27 years. He also served as executive assistant to former Shreveport Mayor Bo Williams. Burnett is the publisher of the weekly “FaxNet Update” and can be reached at 861-0552 or [email protected].
