4 GOP candidates hear talk about quitting

The Advocate ^ | 4/25/03 | Chris Frink

[LdSentinal]

Four of the seven Republican candidates in the governor's race -- and one state GOP bigwig -- met over white wine earlier this week to discuss who should get out of the race.

It wasn't really a meeting, state Senate President John Hainkel said. It was more of a casual gathering to talk about how too many Republicans in the race could lead to a pair of Democrats in the runoff, he said.

State Sen. Ken Hollis, state Rep. Hunt Downer and ex-Gov. Dave Treen joined Hainkel on Tuesday evening at his apartment in the Pentagon Barracks near the Capitol. Prominent Republican fund-raiser and activist Donald "Boysie" Bollinger also joined the group.

A fifth candidate, former Legislative Auditor Dan Kyle, said he turned down an invitation from Bollinger to the meeting.

"I felt that going implied that I'm willing to leave the race, and I'm not willing to leave the race," he said. "I saw no need to waste my time."

Hollis, Downer and Hainkel each called the meeting "friendly and cordial."

Treen said the group promised to keep the meeting confidential. He would confirm only that it took place.

Bollinger did not return a phone call left at his Bollinger Shipyards Inc. office.

"We all want to see a Republican elected governor, but no one wants to give in," Hollis said.

"It'll all come down to who blinks first, and none of us blinked. Each of us thinks he's the best candidate," he said.

Hollis said he believes he's the best candidate and continues to move ahead with his campaign.

The field will narrow on its own within the next several weeks, Hollis said.

With seven GOP candidates in a state where Democratic voters outnumber Republican voters two to one, "the pie's cut too small," Downer said.

"Everybody agrees we've got too many candidates. Eventually, it will shake out and it will narrow down," he said.

"Nobody said they would drop out, but we all recognized that we will have to rally behind one," Downer said.

Downer said he believes he will be the one who continues to move ahead with his campaign.

Bollinger told the candidates that they need to "work it out" and narrow the field, Downer said.

"If all of us ran, it would kill all of us," Hainkel said.

Hainkel said he plans to continue with his campaign and that polling shows that few Louisiana voters have begun to focus on the governor's race.

Neither Bobby Jindal, the former state and federal health-policy official, nor Public Service Commission Chairman Jay Blossman was invited to the meeting.

Jindal called himself the leading Republican candidate measured in polls and in raising money. "I'm in the race to win with election. I'm not running for any other office," he said.

"We were not invited because they knew they couldn't get us out," Blossman campaign manager Jay Connaughton said. "While they were meeting, we were cutting a campaign spot that will air this weekend."

The election is Oct. 4, with a Nov. 15 runoff, if necessary. Qualifying runs Aug 19-21.

Five major Democrats are in the race: Lt. Gov. Kathleen Blanco, former state Senate President Randy Ewing, Attorney General Richard Ieyoub, Treasurer John Kennedy and ex-U.S. Rep. Buddy Leach.

[LdSentinal]

Here are the results from a Democratic poll.

Garin-Hart-Yang (D) (4/10 - 4/20)

(Lt. Governor-D) Kathleen Blanco: 15%
(Fmr. Governor-R) Dave Treen: 13%
(R) Bobby Jindal: 8%
(Attorney General-D) Richard Ieyoub: 7%
(Secretary of State-R) Fox McKeithen: 7%
(Public Service Commissioner-R) Jay Blossman: 5%
(Treasurer-D) John Kennedy: 5%
(ex-State Senator-D) Randy Ewing: 4%
(ex-US. Congressman)-D) Claude Leach: 3%
(St. Representative-R) Hunt Downer: 2%
(St. Senator-R) John Hainkel: 1%
(fmr. State legislator-R) Dan Kyle: 1%

[VaFederalist]

Louisiana, but I had to follow to the link to find that out.

[OldPossum]

That was my question, too, as I read the article. The poster should put this upfront (in parentheses, maybe).

[WhaChuLookinAt]

...too many Republicans in the race could lead to a pair of Democrats in the runoff...

The only state in the Union where this is possible is Louisiana, because there are no primaries, at least for state offices.

[LdSentinal]

The poster should put this upfront (in parentheses, maybe).

It's in the 'Keywords.' "LOUISIANA." "GOVERNOR."