Jennifer Treadway of Baton Rouge, an attorney specializing in business and insurance law, is preparing a campaign to run for state treasurer this fall. Originally from New Orleans, Treadway, a Republican, is a member of St. Thomas More Catholic Church and was a former assistant professor of professional practice at LSU’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center.
As a startup candidate she’s taking on Treasurer John Kennedy, who was elected 15 years ago and today has some of the highest favorables of any statewide elected official in Louisiana. Kennedy also has $3.7 million in the bank, whereas Treadway has yet to file a campaign finance report showing donations. She had been rumored this summer to be considering a run for state representative.
For Treadway, it could be a foundation-setting race, since Kennedy is said to be gearing up to run for the U.S. Senate next year—a seat now held by incumbent U.S. Sen. David Vitter, who is a candidate for governor this fall. Speculation includes Kennedy among the contenders to be appointed temporarily to the seat should Vitter be victorious on the Oct. 24 ballot. Should that happen, Treadway, and a growing number of interested parties, could be willing and ready to run for an open seat in a special election.
Treadway currently practices with Fenet Treadway Gaudin and most notably litigated the so-called “Tony the Tiger” case involving the Iberville Parish truck stop off Interstate 10 that keeps a live tiger on its premises.
—Jeremy Alford
