Louisiana’s lawmakers are readying to choose their leaders as the new term in office begins.
The Associated Press reports the House and Senate will each meet this morning beginning at 10 a.m., ahead of the 11:30 a.m. inauguration ceremony where Democrat John Bel Edwards will be sworn in as Louisiana’s 56th governor.
The Senate is expected to maintain its current president, Republican John Alario, but use a new secret ballot process to cast votes.
The House is on track to have a rare, contested vote for speaker that will test the limits of Edwards’ power, as he tries to get a Democrat elected to the job in the majority Republican chamber.
Edwards backs Rep. Walt Leger for House speaker, while GOP leaders have rallied behind Republican Rep. Cameron Henry. House Clerk Alfred “Butch” Speer says the last contested speaker’s election was in 1984.
Edwards started the day of his swearing-in ceremony with prayer. Edwards, his family, friends and supporters morning attended a Catholic mass at a downtown Baton Rouge cathedral this morning. The mass was by invitation only, closed to the public and media.
Edwards’ inauguration ceremony will be held on the steps of the Louisiana State Capitol, where he’ll take the oath of office. He’s expected to call for bipartisanship and unity in his speech, a nod to his need to work with a majority Republican Legislature to fix the state’s financial problems. Six other statewide elected officials also will take their oaths of office with Edwards. Louisiana’s 144 state lawmakers will be seated before the inauguration ceremony.
