Handful win without opposition

By KEVIN CHIRI

Editor and Publisher

LAPLACE – Politics in the River Region has always had a reputation for being intense and interesting.

Judging from the long list of qualifiers for the big election this fall, set with a primary on October 20, little should change that pattern.

Final qualifying in the River Region closed on Thursday for elections in St. John, St. Charles and St. James parishes, and among the many races, some extra interesting matchups have shaped up.

At the top of the list for the local parishes is the run for parish president.

In St. John, incumbent Nickie Monica is no longer eligible to run due to term limits, which has opened up the field to a long list of qualifiers.

No surprise names joined the list from those who had been saying they would run for the last few months, but it still leaves an interesting list of candidates vying for the position.

Several former elected officials are in the running as former Parish President Arnold Labat, who served in that position for 12 previous years before Monica took over, has returned to seek the seat again.

Other former political office holders include former Parish Councilman Jobe Boucvalt, who lost in a runoff to Monica in the last parish president’s race, as well as former Police Juror Vernon Alexis, and current School Board Member Russ Wise.

Current St. John Administrative Assistant Natalie Robottom has registered to run, while local businessman Bill Hubbard, a current commission member for the Port of South Louisiana, has been more active than anyone already in campaigning in the region as he seeks his first political office.

Another businessman in local insurance broker Perry Bailey, who ran for the parish president’s seat last election, will also be in the race, while Rev. Donald Bryan rounds out the eight-person field.

In St. Charles Parish, the parish president’s seat is also open due to term limits, with current Parish President Albert Laque stepping aside. The field will be made up of Councilman Clayton &#8220Snookie” Faucheux, former Parish President Chris Tregre, and Norco businessman V.J. St. Pierre Jr.

St. James Parish is the only River Region parish where the incumbent parish president can run again, and Dale Hymel will seek to be re-elected, facing opposition from Democrats Isadore Kirklin III and Timothy P. &#8220Timmy” Roussel.

All three region sheriffs are seeking re-election, with St. John Sheriff Wayne Jones seeking a fourth term, facing opposition from former St. John officer Steve Guidry, while St. Charles Sheriff Greg Champagne is being challenged by Dennis &#8220Black” Roussel and Eric C. Stumpf. In St. James, Sheriff Willy J. Martin Jr. will take on challenger Lester M. Ezidore.

In St. John Parish, a handful of candidates were fortunate to win without any opposition, as Parish Assessor Whitney Joseph, Clerk of Court Eliana DeFrancesch, and Coronor Dr. Christy Montegut all will return to office without having to run again.

Also winning in St. John with no opposition are Jody Amedee in the Louisiana 18th Senatorial District, and Joel T. Chaisson II in the 19th Senatorial District.

On the St. John Parish Council, Division ‘B’ At-Large Councilman Steve Lee will return to office due to no opposition, however all other council races will have opposition for the candidates involved.

Current Councilmen Dale Wolfe and Lester Rainey are term limited out of their districts, so they are running for the District ‘A’ At-Large seat against newcomer Lucien J. Gauff III, and Larry Sorapuru Jr.

Allen St. Pierre is term limited out of the District II seat in the Garyville/Mt. Airy district, opening up for a host of eight candidates vying for that position.

Another interesting race shapes up in District 7 where incumbent Cheryl Millet is being challenged by Sean Roussel. Millet is a political newcomer who won that short term position last year to fill an unexpired seat, but now she must take on former Councilman Roussel, who had held the District 5 position before moving to a new home in Millet’s district. Roussel resigned his position last year, but now is running again in his new District 7 region against Millet.

Incumbents Ronnie Smith in District 6 and Jaclyn Hotard in District 4 are running for their seats again, while new faces will be seen in District 3 and 5.

Another of the expected very interesting races has shaped up for the House of Representatives seat in Louisiana for District 57. Incumbent Bobby Faucheux cannot run again due to term limits, so Monica has elected to seek that position as his next political move after serving as parish president.

However he has a strong field of candidates in that race which include a variety of entries.

Garyville attorney Geri Broussard Baloney, longtime St. James Parish attorney Randal Gaines, St. John School Board President Gerald Keller, St. John School Board Member Matthew Ory and longtime St. John insurance agent Natalie Tatje will provide voters with a varied group to pick from in the race.