11-20-23
Republicans in Louisiana have swept three runoff races for powerful statewide offices: attorney general, secretary of state and treasurer. The GOP success secures control over all of Louisiana’s statewide elected positions. Liz Murrill was elected as attorney general Saturday, Nancy Landry as secretary of state and John Fleming as treasurer. The GOP success, in a state that has had a Democrat in the governor’s office for the past eight years, means that come January, Republicans will control the five most powerful positions in Louisiana’s executive branch, and, in addition, the GOP holds majorities in both the House and Senate.
LAFAYETTE MAYOR PRESIDENT JOSH GUILLORY WAS DENIED A SECOND TERM. HIS OPPONENT, MONIQUE BLANCO BOULET, TOOK FIFTY-TWO PERCENT OF THE VOTE IN SATURDAY’S RUNOFF TO BECOME THE NEXT MAYOR PRESIDENT FOR LAFAYETTE PARISH. THE CAMPAIGN BECAME CONTENTIOUS WITH BOULET ACCUSING GUILLORY OF CORRUPTION AND GUILLORY SUING TO STOP HER, AND LABELING BLANCO AS A LIBERAL. THE THIRD PLACE CANDIDATE IN THE PRIMARY, JAN SWIFT, THREW HER SUPPORT BEHIND BOULET IN THE RUNOFF.
KEVIN BERKEN WON THE RUNOFF FOR THE DISTRICT SEVEN BOARD OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION SEAT. BERKEN GOT FIFTY-THREE PERCENT OF THE VOTE TO DEFEAT FORMER LAFAYETTE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER ERIK KNEZEK. IT WAS A FIVE THOUSAND VOTE MARGIN. THE DISTRICT COVERS ACADIA, JEFF DAVIS AND VERMILLION PARISHES AS WELL AS MOST OF LAFAYETTE PARISH.
THREE OF THE FOUR CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS WERE PASSED IN SATURDAY’S GENERAL ELECTION. AMENDMENT FOUR IS THE ONE THAT DIDN’T PASS. FIFTY-SIX PERCENT OF VOTERS REJECTED IT. THAT AMENDMENT WOULD HAVE PLACED STRICT PARAMETERS ON WHEN THE LEGISLATURE CAN USE THE STATE’S REVENUE STABILIZATION TRUST FUND.
SAINT MARTIN PARISH HAS A NEW PARISH PRESIDENT, PETE DELCAMBRE, WHO TOOK HOME FIFTY-SIX PERCENT OF THE VOTE. HE REPLACE CHESTER CEDARS WHO CHOSE NOT TO RUN FOR REELECTION. INCUMBENT JEFF DAVIS PARISH SHERIFF IVY WOODS WAS UNSEATED AS HIS OPPONENT, KYLE MIERS, WON FIFTY-FIVE PERCENT TO WOODS FORTY-FIVE PERCENT. EDDIE LANGLINAIS EASILY WON THE RUNOFF FOR VERMILLION PARISH SHERIFF WITH SIXTY-TWO PERCENT OF THE BALLOTS CAST. THE INCUMBENT, MIKE COUVILLON, DECIDED AGAINST RUNNING AGAIN AFTER TWENTY YEARS IN THE OFFICE.
THE BENOIT FORD DEALERSHIP IN DERIDDER CAUGHT FIRE AT AROUND FOUR-THIRTY SATURDAY MORNING. THE BUILDING WAS HEAVILY DAMAGED BY THE FIRE. THE LOSSES INCLUDED A FEW CARS, MOST OF THE GOLF CARTS AND A VINTAGE NINETEEN-TWENTY-NINE MODEL A. THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL’S OFFICE IS ASKING FOR THE PUBLIC’S HELP IN DETERMINING THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE.
IN LAFAYETTE, A PEDESTRIAN IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION AFTER BEING HIT BY A VEHICLE OVER THE WEEKEND. SYLVIA MASTERS REPORTS.
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A DUSON MAN WAS ARRESTED FRIDAY IN CONNECTION TO MULTIPLE SHOOTINGS IN RAYNE. TWENTY-FOUR-YEAR-OLD TAYLOR VONTAE WHEELER HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED SECOND-DEGREE MURDER AS WELL AS ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF A FIREARM BY A PERSON CONVICTED OF CERTAIN FELONIES. HE WAS TAKEN TO THE ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE JAIL. HE IS BEING HELD WITHOUT BOND.
