Press flacks have their own stories in race for No. 2

Secretary of State Jay Dardenne, a Baton Rouge Republican, has been the quicker picker-upper when it comes to endorsements in the lieutenant governor’s race. Last week, the Alliance for Good Government announced it would back Dardenne in the general election and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a one-time presidential contender still looking to gain influence nationally, found himself in Dardenne’s corner as well. The biggest boost for Dardenne, however, may have come directly on the heels of the Oct. 2 open primary. That’s when Lafayette Republican Sammy Kershaw entered Dardenne’s camp. While sources say Caroline Fayard, a New Orleans Dem, made overtures to gain Kershaw’s support, it’s not surprising that Kershaw, a Republican, kept it in the party – he certainly had some leverage with his 126,000 votes from October’s eight-person field, where Dardenne received 181,000 votes to Fayard’s 160,000. But Dardenne didn’t only walk away with the support of a country music star; he also gained a new press flack. Amy Jones, who was previously handling media outreach for Kershaw and has worked with a variety of 10/12 GOP pols like Lafayette Congressman Charles Boustany, is now attached to Dardenne’s team. Fayard, not to be outdone, has a media ringer as her press secretary in Monica Pierre, probably best know for co-hosting WWL First News with Bob DelGiorno, a radio show that remains among the most listened to programs in southeast Louisiana. Prior to going political, Pierre’s journalism career stretched over 23 years in the Crescent City and she has an Emmy to her credit. Dardenne, though, is looking to make the most out of his new partnership. On Monday, Jones helped Dardenne, her new boss, work a series of junkets in the Acadiana region with Kershaw, her old boss, with stops at the Palace Cafe in Opelousas, the Bailey Hotel in Bunkie and Harlow’s Bakery in Pineville. – Jeremy Alford