Free Republic

Holden apparent winner in mayor-president race By SCOTT DYER sdyer@theadvocate.com Advocate staff writer With 100 percent of East Baton Rouge precincts reporting, state Sen. Kip Holden was apparently on his way Wednesday to becoming the first African-American mayor-president in Baton Rouge history. Holden, a Democrat who made two unsuccessful bids for mayor-president before Tuesday's successful showing, had 94,802 votes, or 54 percent of the ballots counted, with all 300 of the parish's precincts reporting. Meanwhile, incumbent Mayor-President Bobby Simpson, a Republican, was a distant second with 81,142 votes, or 46 percent. In his acceptance speech late Tuesday, Holden urged Baton...

Holden adds business endorsements By SCOTT DYER sdyer@theadvocate.com Advocate staff writer Beneath a banner proclaiming that "Kip Means Business," a group of about 80 mostly Democratic business leaders and officials turned out Monday to endorse state Sen. Kip Holden, D-Baton Rouge, in his bid to unseat Republican incumbent Mayor-President Bobby Simpson. The only high-profile Republican to publicly speak in support of Holden at Monday's press conference was former Gov. Buddy Roemer, who now serves as president of the Business Bank of Baton Rouge. "I do not know a man who can bring us together faster, cutting across party lines, racial...

Clean campaign vowed BRNEXT to continue ad plan By SCOTT DYER Advocate staff writer Mayor-President Bobby Simpson, a Republican, and state Sen. Kip Holden, D-Baton Rouge, are pledging to steer clear of negative campaigning as they battle in the upcoming runoff election. Simpson, however, said he has little hope the race will stay positive because a political action committee called BRNEXT plans to continue its attacks against him. "As long as BRNEXT stays in this race, it (a positive campaign) probably won't happen," Simpson said. Simpson said he expects BRNEXT to continue its "anybody but Bobby" campaign through the Nov....