Leach says La. Democrats are ‘far from over’

Despite the fact that all statewide elected officials are Republicans, as are most of the state’s congressional delegation, the Democratic Party is alive and well in Louisiana, according to Chairman Buddy Leach. “Some would have you think the Democratic Party has crumbled or it’s ineffective or whatever term you want to use. Not true,” Leach told the Baton Rouge Press Club today. “This party is far from over. There are cycles. We all know that.” Leach noted that New Orleans now has a Democratic congressman, mayor and city council. Locally elected officials like Baton Rouge Mayor Kip Holden and Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover continue to poll well, he added. As for those coveted statewide spots, from governor on down to agriculture commissioner, Leach ticked off a list of about a dozen names. At the age of 33, New Orleans Democrat Caroline Fayard, former candidate for lieutenant governor, was the youngest on Leach’s list. Among the highest ranking was Senate President Joel Chaisson of Destrehan, who is term-limited. “They could run for any of these (statewide) offices,” Leach says. The chairman, however, did not discuss the open offices individually and named Haynesville teacher Tara Hollis as the only Democratic competition to surface against Gov. Bobby Jindal. —Jeremy Alford