LaPolitics: Secretary of state candidates staffed up

With the Nov. 6 special election primary for secretary of state just three months away, the more serious candidates have staffed up for their statewide bids. The hires reveal not only levels of professionalism, but also, in some instance, political leanings and possible alliances. Mostly, though, the names are a peek behind the curtains of modern campaigning.

—State Rep. Julie Stokes, the perceived front-runner, has signed The Political Firm’s consultants Jason Hebert and Scott Hobbs. They’ve run campaigns for Congressman Garret Graves and Majority Whip Steve Scalise. The Political Firm will be her general consultants, in addition to handling the campaign’s media. Nicole Desormeaux and Ann Rasmussen will handle fundraising for Stokes, who already has the largest war chest at nearly $185,000, according to campaign finance reports. Day-to-day operations will be overseen by Anna Kornick, who also worked on Stokes’ brief bid for state treasurer last year. Kornick previously was a staffer to former Congressman Joe Cao, as well as Scott Angelle during his tenure as secretary of the Department of Natural Resources.

—Interim Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin has brought on Baton Rouge consultant Lionel Rainey III, who will serve as the general, media and fundraising consultant. “In a race like this, every penny counts, and a low overhead is essential,” said Rainey, who has worked on the campaigns of U.S. Sen. John Kennedy and Treasurer John Schroder.

—Former Sen. A.G. Crowe’s campaign is being supervised by Jack McAdams, who previously worked as a grassroots coordinator for state Sens. Neil Riser and Bodi White. Crowe has also brought on Scott Wilfong and former Sen. Dan Richey as his general consultants. Both men are from Baton Rouge. Greg Buisson, who has done ads in the past for Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser and New Orleans City Councilwoman Helena Moreno, will handle the media. Former GOP Chairman Roger Villere will oversee the campaign’s social media operations.

—Reneé Fontenot Free, the only prominent Democrat in the race, has brought on former U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu’s longtime state director, T. Bradley Keith, as her campaign manager. Consultant Randy Hayden and his firm, Creative Communications, have been enlisted to handle media and fundraising. Hayden has worked for former Senate President Randy Ewing and former Public Service Commissioner Jimmy Field, among others.

—Turkey Creek Mayor Heather Cloud has retained Congressman Clay Higgins’ advisor Chris Comeaux to serve as her general and media consultant. Sally Nungesser, a longtime GOP fundraiser, who has worked for figures such as former Gov. Mike Foster and Majority Whip Steve Scalise, has signed on to build Cloud’s war chest.
—State Rep. Rick Edmonds’ campaign will be led by consultant J Hudson of 3 Strategies. Hudson previously managed John Fleming’s U.S. Senate campaign and Paul Dietzel’s bid for Congress. Allee Bautsch Grunewald, one of the most prominent fundraisers in the state, will be tasked with keeping Edmonds’ campaign account full. Public Service Commissioner Craig Greene’s former communications consultant Delia Taylor will be handing Edmonds’ communications. Media guru Roy Fletcher, a veteran of numerous statewide campaigns, has joined Team Edmonds as well.

They Said It: “They don’t normally see that very strong-willed and hard-headed Paula Davis—they see the bubbly Paula Davis all the time, the cheerleader, always rounding up the troops and let’s get this done.”—Rep. Paula Davis, on passing her sales tax bill during the special session, on WRKF
Jeremy Alford publishes LaPolitics Weekly, a newsletter on Louisiana politics, at LaPolitics.com. Follow him on Twitter, or on Facebook. He can be reached at JJA@LaPolitics.com.