Free Republic

Gov.-elect John Bel Edwards is expected to name Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne as his top state government administrator and chief budget officer Monday afternoon (Dec. 7), according to three sources -- two who are close to Dardenne and another who is a leader in state government. The move could be interpreted as Edwards' first substantial commitment to a bipartisan cabinet. Edwards, a Democrat, has picked Dardenne, a Republican who ran against him in the gubernatorial primary, for arguably the most important and high-profile job in the state government next to his own. As Louisiana's commissioner of administration, Dardenne will be...

Louisiana Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne, a Republican who was eliminated from the state's gubernatorial race in the jungle primary last month, has endorsed Democrat John Bel Edwards over Republican Sen. David Vitter. Dardenne announced his support for Edwards at a news conference at Louisiana State University on Thursday, a day after the Vitter campaign rolled out an endorsement of its own from former Republican Louisiana Gov. Mike Foster. The race has split Team Dardenne, which, along with supporters of Republican Scott Angelle, came up short in the October primary. Earlier this month, Dardenne's spokeswoman, Marsanne Golsby, announced her support for...

NEW ORLEANS - Republican Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne, a fourth-place finisher in the recent gubernatorial primary, will endorse Democrat John Bel Edwards for governor over Republican David Vitter, sources tell Eyewitness News. Dardenne is expected to make the announcement official at an event Thursday at LSU in Baton Rouge, sources told WWL-TV and The Advocate. Dardenne jousted bitterly with U.S. Senator Vitter in the primary election. "It's not that big of a surprise, but it's a huge endorsement for Edwards," said WWL-TV political analyst Clancy DuBos. Edwards had just about 40 percent of the vote in the primary to run...