Damon Baldone’s announced run for Louisiana Public Service Commission, District 2, will come without the support of Gov. John Bel Edwards, who appointed him as interim commissioner for the district, The USA Today Network reports.
Baldone, a Houma lawyer and businessman, was appointed on June 1 to serve as the replacement for former Commissioner Scott Angelle until a special election is held on Oct. 14. At the time, Chief of Staff Richard Carbo said the governor was seeking a short-term replacement for Angelle with the agreement that the interim commissioner would not seek the office permanently.
But last week Baldone signed up to seek the remainder of Angelle’s term, which runs through 2018. Though he served as a Democrat in the State House of Representatives from 2002 to 2012, Baldone qualified as a Republican along with former State Rep. Lenar Whitney, R-Houma, and Dr. Craig Greene, R-Baton Rouge.
And about two years ago, he sought to register as both a Democrat and Republican, even taking the effort to court. The case was never heard.
In fact, Baldone said within a week of his appointment that he would seek election in the autumn and suggested then that Edwards had never placed any conditions on him accepting the District 2 interim job, other than to “look out for the people of Louisiana.”
But on Monday, Edwards said there was some miscommunication on his part. Carbo adds Baldone has met with Edwards, but says he doesn’t know what the two discussed. The governor will remain neutral in the race, Carbo says.
Baldone confirmed the meeting took place and says Edwards took responsibility for the confusion that arose about his intention to run in the autumn election.
