There are several key regional races on the statewide ballot in the October 24 election. Here's a look at the race for Jefferson Parish President.
When Jefferson Parish President John Young decided to run for Lieutenant Governor, five candidates stepped up to take his place.
The position itself is mostly administrative. But there is political potential in the top spot in the second-most-populous parish in the state.
New Orleans Advocate columnist Stephanie Grace says the parish has proven itself a political stepping stone.
“Jefferson Parish has really launched a lot of major politicians," she said. "David Vitter started off in the legislature in Jefferson Parish, now running for governor, in the US Senate. Steve Scalise is the congressman from that area, also came out of the legislature. He’s now the number three person in the US House. Bobby Jindal briefly represented that area in Congress even though he’s from Baton Rouge. He moved to the area really just to take that Congressional seat for a few years while he was waiting to run for governor again.”
A poll done late last month by JMC Analytics and Polling shows two front runners have emerged – Kenner mayor Mike Yenni and Jefferson Parish Councilman Elton Lagasse. The survey of 630 likely voters showed 32 percent favored Yenni, with 18 percent supporting Lagasse.
University of New Orleans political science professor Ed Chervenak says there’s been more squabbling than substance in the race.
“Well they really haven’t been talking about the issues in the campaign," he said. "It’s been more about personal attacks than anything. But it seems to me the issue of leasing the hospitals should be a prominent issue in that particular contest. It seems to be kind of a messy process on leasing both of the public hospitals in Jefferson Parish and so I’m sure voters have questions about that.”
Just this month, Lagasse sued Yenni over a campaign ad. It was dropped this week after both candidates agreed to stop accusing each other of supporting tax increases.
Chervenak notes that the recent polling shows 44 percent of the voters are undecided. Grace says that because there are two well-known candidates in the race, a winner could emerge without a runoff. If that doesn’t happen, a runoff will be held November 21.
