La. Democrats scrambling to force runoff

• By WILL SENTELL
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Oct 17, 2007 - Page: 1A

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Louisiana Democrats are scrambling to force a runoff in the race for governor on Saturday and head off what could signal a historic change in control of statewide offices, officials in both parties said Tuesday.

Whether any of the contenders for governor can prevent Republican U.S. Rep. Bobby Jindal of Kenner from winning outright in the primary remains a key question.

However, the contest will also help determine whether Democrats slip from a 4-3 control of statewide offices now, including embattled Democratic Gov. Kathleen Blanco, to a 5-2 advantage for Republicans by November, officials said.

Former State Democratic Party Chairman Jim Nickel of Baton Rouge cautioned that Saturday’s primary may be more about voter desire for change than party labels.

Even so, Nickel said, Democrats could get hurt in this year’s elections.

“With Democrats holding a number of seats and a number of statewide offices they could suffer,” said Nickel, who was party chairman in the 1990s.

Democratic problems may even signal a historic move toward Republicans that other Southern states went through 20 years ago, said Jeffrey Sadow, associate professor of political science at LSU in Shreveport.

“That is not an overstatement at all,” Sadow said.

Party officials, political analysts and others noted in two days of interviews that:

• Recent polls show Jindal flirting with 50 percent support while Democrats Foster Campbell of Bossier Parish, a member of the Public Service Commission, and state Sen. Walter Boasso of Arabi have struggled to even get into double digits. The same goes for New Orleans area businessman John Georges, who has no political affiliation.
• State Agriculture Commissioner Bob Odom, a longtime Democratic party leader, is facing a heavy challenge for an eighth  term primarily from Republican Mike Strain of Covington.
• Attorney General Charles Foti, another Democrat, is under heavy political fire from fellow Democrat Buddy Caldwell of Tallulah and Republican Royal Alexander of Shreveport.

This year’s hunt for votes takes place barely a year after Democrats failed to field a contender for an unexpired term as state insurance commissioner, which Republican Jim Donelon won.

In addition, Republican Jay Dardenne was elected to fill an unexpired term as secretary of state in 2006 when Democrat Francis Heitmeier dropped out after the primary.

The GOP won control of the state treasurer’s office in August when John Kennedy switched to Republican from Democrat. He won another term in September when no one filed against him.

Rep. Don Cazayoux, D-New Roads and a likely contender for House speaker, echoed Sadow’s view.

“In Louisiana for years the Democratic Party hasn’t had to put up much of a fight,” Cazayoux said. “They sort of dominated the political landscape and, for whatever reason, the rest of the South trended Republican for a long time.