Posted on 01/08/2005 2:45:30 PM PST by Ellesu
BATON ROUGE — Amid criticism that the Louisiana Democratic Party has abandoned black voters and lost its focus, the head of a Fortune 500 company was chosen Saturday as the party's chairman. James Bernhard, the top official at The Shaw Group Inc., was the unanimous selection of the Democratic State Central Committee. He replaces Mike Skinner, a former U.S. attorney, who quit late last year after the party took a battering in the fall elections. Bernhard had the support of such top Democrats as Gov. Kathleen Blanco, U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu and U.S. Rep. William Jefferson. After his election, Bernhard said uniting Democrats will be his first order of business. "Our goal will be to have a Louisiana agenda" that focuses on access to health care, education and the economy, Bernhard said. The only opposition mounted against Bernhard's candidacy came from state Sen. Donald Cravins, who lost his bid last fall for the state's 7th Congressional District seat. Cravins, who is black, has complained that the party did not properly back his run, instead endorsing state Sen. Willie Mount, who lost in a runoff. Mount is white. "No individual, no group, should be allowed to hijack the party," Cravins said. "No group, no individual, should be allow to make decisions unilaterally on who should be supported." Another Democrat, state Rep. Arthur Morrell of New Orleans, said that the party was not listening to the real concerns of African-American voters. "I am tired of being taken advantage of," Morrell said. Democrats are coming off a weak election year in Louisiana.
(Excerpt) Read more at nola.com ...
and in other Louisiana news:
http://www.theneworleanschannel.com/politics/4063003/detail.html
Group Endorses Openly Gay Candidate For La. Legislature
NEW ORLEANS -- A man who once worked for Louisiana's largest gay and lesbian political action committee now hopes to become one of the people making the laws.
Chris Daigle is running to become the first openly gay, HIV-positive member of the Louisiana Legislature. He's running for the House of Representatives seat vacated by Ed Murray, of New Orleans, who was elected to state Senate.
On Friday, Equality Louisiana announced it was endorsing Daigle's candidacy. Group members said they're tired of the narrow-mindedness and bigotry shown against gays and lesbians by current lawmakers.
Other candidates for the open House seat include Ed Murray's brother, Bob Murray. The special election is scheduled for Jan. 29.
Ping!
New Orleans is probably the only place where an openly gay person can get elected. If he were to run statewide, he'd get creamed and the MSM would decry the bigotry of the voters. Strangely, the MSM is silent of the bigotry shown to Bobby Jindal in 2003.
Strangely, the MSM is silent of the bigotry shown to Bobby Jindal in 2003.
The MSM is so coo-yon.
who'd a thunk it ... We took the democrats out in GA, we now controll both houses of congress (after 2004) and the governor ship (though i doubt perdue the liar will be re elected). they have been purged from Alabama, mississippi, and texas, we took over the house of Oklahoma soon to take senate and gov. and they are on the way down in LA and AR.
"Chris Daigle is running to become the first openly gay, HIV-positive member of the Louisiana Legislature."
This is a tragedy for everyone affected, including Daigle himself. Still, it's a free country, so if he wants to run, let him.
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