Free Republic

<p>BATON ROUGE - Ending days of speculation around the Capitol, Gov.-elect Kathleen Blanco moved Wednesday to change the face of the Legislature's leadership, announcing her support for two Democratic lawmakers, Sen. Don Hines and Rep. Joe Salter, who would bring markedly different styles as heads of their legislative chambers.</p>

LOUISIANA SENATE PRESIDENT CONSIDERS ANOTHER PARTY SWITCH. Louisiana State Senate President John Hainkel (R) enjoys his leadership job and wants to have a good working relationship with incoming Governor Kathleen Blanco (D). Blanco -- who is replacing a term-limited GOP incumbent -- let it be known she'd like the next House Speaker and Senate President to be Democrats, according to CQ Politics Today. Hainkel told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that the most important thing to him is retaining his leadership post: "Maybe I'll be [a] Democrat ... If that is the biggest freakin' thing ... to [Blanco], I'd change my...

<p>BATON ROUGE - Despite reports that she has decided whom she will back for legislative leadership positions, Gov.-elect Kathleen Blanco said Friday she's still meeting with lawmakers to get their input and won't announce anything before Monday.</p> <p>"I'd like to make the decision in the next few days, but I do reserve the time I think is necessary. These are important decisions," said Blanco, who just returned from a three-day "not long enough" vacation to Austin, where she visited a spa.</p>

<p>BATON ROUGE - With Louisiana Gov.-elect Kathleen Blanco on vacation, senators are battling behind the scenes to see who will emerge as president of the state Senate.</p> <p>The short list of candidates includes senators from throughout the state - some of whom actively are campaigning, such as Francis Heitmeier, D-New Orleans, Don Hines, D-Bunkie, and Joe McPherson, D-Alexandria. Hines, who supported Blanco and gave her information about health care, is emerging as the most likely winner.</p>

BATON ROUGE - Two Republicans and a Democrat are dropping out of the Louisiana gubernatorial race today in a major seismic development that shook the political landscape Wednesday. Former Gov. Dave Treen and state Sen. Ken Hollis of Metairie will endorse state Rep. Hunt Downer of Houma, who is emerging as the consensus Republican candidate. "It will all shake out and shape up within the month," Downer said. "I'm excited." Democratic state Treasurer John Kennedy, who has canceled fund-raisers, will issue a public statement this morning that he is dropping out, a development that probably most benefits former Senate President...

BATON ROUGE - Two Republicans and a Democrat are dropping out of the Louisiana gubernatorial race today in a major seismic development that shook the political landscape Wednesday. Former Gov. Dave Treen and state Sen. Ken Hollis of Metairie will endorse state Rep. Hunt Downer of Houma, who is emerging as the consensus Republican candidate. "It will all shake out and shape up within the month," Downer said. "I'm excited." Democratic state Treasurer John Kennedy, who has canceled fund-raisers, will issue a public statement this morning that he is dropping out, a development that probably most benefits former Senate President...

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....

<p>Crowded governor's race could limit funds More Republican than Democratic candidates enter fray John Hill / Louisiana Gannett News Posted on March 2, 2003 BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana governor's race is up to a dozen serious candidates with Republicans outnumbering Democrats seven to five.</p>

<p>BATON ROUGE - Former Gov. David Treen said he intends to run for governor next year, but won't make a decision until traveling the state in January.</p> <p>Treen, now a New Orleans lawyer who lives in Mandeville on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain, said he would not run if an acceptable candidate would adopt his pet program.</p>

<p>BATON ROUGE - Seeing no viable Republican candidate for governor, state Senate President John Hainkel, R-New Orleans, said Monday he is organizing a campaign.</p> <p>"It's kind of weak," said Hainkel, 64, whose Senate district includes parts of Orleans, St. Tammany, Jefferson and Tangipahoa parishes.</p>