Two of the strongest forces in Louisiana politics have already taken sides for the Nov. 21 runoff in the governor\u2019s race, with sheriffs coalescing behind state Rep. John Bel Edwards and an influential faction of the oil lobby backing U.S. Sen. David Vitter.<\/p>\n
This divvying up of political resources will intensify quickly with just weeks to go until Louisiana chooses its next governor.<\/p>\n
The endorsement given to Vitter by the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association\u2019s (LOGPAC) political action committee is an early sign that business groups may gravitate toward the senior senator in the coming days. LOGPAC Chairman Don Briggs said the endorsement will \u201censure that [Vitter] receives the necessary support from our industry.\u201d<\/p>\n
Edwards, a Democrat, also picked up the support of the Louisiana Sheriffs\u2019 Association (LSA) less than 48 hours after claiming victory in the primary.<\/p>\n
Lincoln Parish Sheriff Mike Stone, LSA\u2019s president, noted Edwards\u2019 West Point education in a press release. \u201cWe feel having John Bel Edwards as our next governor will enhance Louisiana\u2019s image and show the entire country that Louisiana values honesty and integrity in government,\u201d Stone said.<\/p>\n
The endorsement from the sheriffs is steeped more in political intrigue than the nod from the LOGA PAC. Longtime Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Norman\u2019s deputies arrested a private investigator the day before the primary election for allegedly recording a conversation between the sheriff and group having coffee and breakfast in Metairie.<\/p>\n
The Vitter campaign has made payments to the Dallas-based investigation firm, but they deny any direct instructions were given to spy on the sheriff.<\/p>\n
Instead, Vitter supporters contend, Normand, who backed Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne for governor in the primary, is trying to turn the issue into a political attack.<\/p>\n
Up next for Vitter are possibly more PAC endorsements from other business groups. For example, some of the members of the four PACs controlled by Louisiana Assoc. of Business and Industry would like to get involved in the run-off.<\/p>\n
In interviews with PAC members, they said they felt as if Edwards\u2019 donors, such as unions and trial lawyers, are their \u201cnatural enemies.\u201d Depending on whether the donations actually take place, and at what level, the whole phenomenon could be one for the books. LABI has only played in three gubernatorial elections in recent memory: those of Dave Treen; Mike Foster, who actually turned the backing down after seeking the group\u2019s support; and Bobby Jindal, back when he had re-election in the bag.<\/p>\n
LABI President Stephen Waguespack said such backing would indeed be unusual and that the business organization\u2019s PACs have not yet taken a firm stance. A super-majority vote of all four of the PACs would be needed.<\/p>\n
“We’re polling our PAC members now that the primary is over to see if they want to revisit this,” said Waguespack, “and considering the stakes of this election, it’s appropriate for us to circle back around to them.”<\/p>\n
Legislature Ready To Legislate<\/strong><\/p>\n Now that the primary elections have come and gone, we know the final results in 87 percent of the active and inactive House and Senate races.<\/p>\n As for the November run-off, there are only four run-offs on the Senate side and another 15 elections to be decided for the House on the Nov. 21 ballot.<\/p>\n Political watchers believe this large number of decided seats will surely jumpstart the work to be done for the 2016 sessions, and maybe even free up some lawmakers to get involved in the governor\u2019s race.<\/p>\n The Senate is the closest to fully intact, with 21 unopposed senators and 14 races that are complete \u2014 or 90 percent of the body settled.<\/p>\n Across Memorial Hall, there are 53 unopposed representatives and 76 races that are now decided \u2014 or 89 percent of the lower chamber.<\/p>\n The figures factor prominently into the race for speaker, as a very small handful of the dozen candidates are beginning to peel off to commit to the leading contenders. Freshman representatives in particular will be under the gun to pick a horse after the primary.<\/p>\n Clerks Of Court Retiring<\/strong><\/p>\n A quarter of the elected clerks of court in Louisiana have decided to retire this year, leaving more open seats than the state has ever seen, according to some close observers.<\/p>\n But that doesn\u2019t mean there will be a major learning curve, said Debbie Hudnall, executive director of the Louisiana Clerks of Court Assoc. While there will be at least a 25 percent turnover among the 63 parish clerk races this fall, 12 of the 16 open races had chief deputies running in them.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, another 16 incumbent clerks fielded last-minute opponents on the ballot. \u201cI think that\u2019s a little more than usual,\u201d said Hudnall.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a similar scenario for local assessors around the state as well.<\/p>\n Pointe Coupee Assessor Jimmy Laurent, president of the Louisiana Assessors’ Assoc., said nine longtime assessors around the state have decided to retire and another 13 incumbents drew last-minute competitors.<\/p>\n New Book, Videos On La. Political Figures<\/strong><\/p>\n On Nov. 16, author Stephen Hess will release his new book America\u2019s Political Dynasties: From Adams to Clinton. In an excerpt provided to LaPolitics it’s revealed that the book will cover Louisiana\u2019s own dynastic family, the Longs.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a section from the chapter dedicated to the Longs:<\/p>\n \u201cIt was (Huey) Long\u2019s revolution to weld the poor into a viable political force; to make the poor redneck, the poor Cajun, and the poor black see that their political common denominator was \u2018poor\u2019 \u2014 and that they must make common cause in the voting booth.<\/p>\n “He became the first major southern leader to put aside appeals to race baiting and antebellum myths and address himself to social and economic ills. And when he was finished, Louisiana had new schools and free textbooks and roads and mental hospitals and bridges.<\/p>\n “When he was finished, Louisiana had a secret police and a rubber-stamp legislature and a subservient judiciary.<\/p>\n “\u2018Never before in American history,\u2019 wrote Hamilton Basso, had the people \u2018been so plainly asked to jettison the democratic system and consent to the erection of a totalitarian society in its place.\u2019 They had been asked to \u2018exchange political freedom for economic security.\u2019 To those who had nothing, it seemed like a good bargain.\u201d<\/p>\n You can learn more about the book at www.Brookings.Edu.<\/em><\/p>\n Meanwhile, if words on a page aren’t enough to fulfill your political history fix, there are also new videos from LPB\u2019s Louisiana Digital Media Archive.<\/p>\n From Long and McKeithen to Edwards and Blanco, you can search by keyword. Two documentaries, \u201cUncle Earl\u201d and \u201cA Century of Sunshine,\u201d are being made available in their entirety for viewing at LaDigitalMedia.org, in addition to other clips and video.<\/p>\n Learn more at LaDigitalMedia.org.<\/em><\/p>\n Taxes Held In Escrow<\/strong><\/p>\n In the wake of the Louisiana Legislature’s suspension of part of a sales tax exemption favored by industry, $3.5 million has been paid in protest by 25 to 30 companies. The money is now being held in escrow.<\/p>\n With the protested payments averaging $1.4 million per month, as much as $16.8 million the state was counting on may not be available for use in the current fiscal year budget until pending litigation can be put to rest.<\/p>\n \u201cThe good news is it\u2019s still less than 15 percent of what we are expecting to bring in from the change this year,\u201d said Revenue Secretary Tim Barfield, referencing the $100 million fiscal note on HCR 8 by Rep. Jack Montoucet.<\/p>\n The resolution created a temporary suspension of 1 cent on the 4-cent sales tax exemption on utilities.<\/p>\n Those paying in protest are also filing suit in court, joining the Louisiana Chemical Assoc., which sued on constitutional grounds that the required two-thirds vote was not obtained by lawmakers.<\/p>\n If 19th Judicial District Court Judge R. Michael Caldwell decides in favor of the chemical association or any of the other plaintiffs, his decision could remove $100 million from the current fiscal year budget.<\/p>\n State officials hope they can start moving the proceedings toward a consolidation of cases. A Dec. 7 hearing has been scheduled for the initial arguments of the LCA case.<\/p>\n There have been predictions that it could take nine months to a year to settle the matter, which means lawmakers may convene their 2016 regular session with the issue still in court. That would certainly make it more difficult for the Legislature to renew or extend the temporary suspension, which is slated to expire shortly after the regular session adjourns next year. \u201cIt could be completely off of the table,\u201d said Greg Bowser, LCA\u2019s executive vice president.<\/p>\n Barfield said his office will be auditing soon to see how payments are looking overall. \u201cI\u2019m sure there are some people who aren\u2019t paying it at all,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Business Gets Behind Landry<\/strong><\/p>\n Special interests that have been crossed by incumbent Attorney General Buddy Caldwell in recent years finally rallied around challenger Jeff Landry, the former congressman and fellow Republican running to the right of the field.<\/p>\n LAMP, the political arm of the Louisiana Chemical Assoc. and the Louisiana Chemical Industry Alliance, endorsed Landry early in October. Spokesperson Greg Bowser said the PAC had cut a check for $5,000 and more from elsewhere was on the way.<\/p>\n The Louisiana Oil and Gas Association\u2019s LOGPAC got fully behind Landry as well. That was a more telling endorsement and a choice made between two men who in their own ways have enraged the energy lobby in the past \u2014 Caldwell, with his involvement in coastal-related lawsuits against oil companies, and Landry, for his 2012 congressional amendment calling for standby vessels to be located within three miles of every Gulf platform.<\/p>\n Oil and gas operators haven’t forgotten the amendment, which they said at the time would cost them millions. How much more they\u2019re willing to forgive (and give) remains to be seen.<\/p>\n For more Louisiana political news, visit www.LaPolitics.com or follow Jeremy Alford on Twitter @LaPoliticsNow.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Two of the strongest forces in Louisiana politics have already taken sides for the Nov. 21 runoff in the governor\u2019s race, with sheriffs coalescing behind state Rep. John Bel Edwards and an influential faction of the oil lobby backing U.S. Sen. David Vitter. This divvying up of political resources will intensify quickly with just weeks [&hellip<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":2376,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[63,32],"yoast_head":"\n