When it comes to the various legislative delegations representing the 10/12 corridor, there’s a good bit of hustle and bustle to keep tabs on. From new policy assignments to political jockeying, it’s a sign of the dramatic times to come, what with an unprecedented budget shortfall only months away, re-election around the corner and redistricting hanging in the wings.
In Baton Rouge, the stock of Republican Sen. Dan Claitor recently got kicked up a notch. Claitor, a freshman, has given up his seat on the retirement panel for a spot on the influential Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee, which has taxing oversight in the Senate.
Even more impressive, though, is that Claitor has also managed to hold firm to his seat on the budget-crafting Finance Committee. That means Claitor will be serving on both of his chamber’s top money committees – and he’s the only member of the Louisiana Legislature with that distinction.
On Revenue and Fiscal Affairs, Claitor will be taking the place of Sen. Dan “Blade” Morrish, R-Jennings, who will move up to chairman of the Senate Insurance Committee. And that brings us to the other area of intrigue along 10/12.
In the Acadiana region, Troy Hebert of Jeanerette, who formerly chaired the Senate Insurance Committee and has no party affiliation, is no longer representing Senate District 22. Hebert recently resigned the seat to take on new responsibilities as the state’s alcohol and tobacco control commissioner.
The primary election was set on Monday for Jan. 22, 2011, with a general election as needed on Feb. 19, 2011. The race should yield some surprising results. The obvious frontrunner for the seat would have been attorney Jeff Landry, a New Iberia Republican who opposed Hebert last go around, but Landry was elected this fall as the new 3rd District congressman. With the usual suspects out of the way, a few new faces could emerge – that, or the race could become a slugfest between the state representatives located in the Senate district, which includes parts of Iberia, Lafayette, St. Martin and Vermilion parishes.
In the New Orleans region, former New Orleans City Councilwoman Cynthia Willard-Lewis, a Democrat, is taking her place in the Louisiana Senate after winning a special election last month. She’s no stranger to Baton Rouge, having served in the House from 1993 to 2000 before moving on to a decade’s worth of service on the city council. Willard-Lewis will be taking Claitor’s spot on the Senate Retirement Committee.
