Business of Politics

List of potential treasurer candidates swelling

by Jeremy Alford, LaPolitics

Caroline FayardAfter losing her bid for the U.S. Senate this year, Democratic attorney Caroline Fayard is among the many names being urged to look at the special election for treasurer, which has so f

Caroline Fayard

After losing her bid for the U.S. Senate this year, Democratic attorney Caroline Fayard is among the many names being urged to look at the special election for treasurer, which has so far been dominated by an avalanche of Republican contenders.

“I haven’t made any decisions,” she says, noting the election won’t be held until October and everyone is still recovering from the 2016 cycle.

State Sen. Norby Chabert, R-Houma, meanwhile, is out of the running.

“Given that the state coastal master plan is going to need some extra attention this year, and the challenges with the budget, I have to be focused on my legislative district right now,” he says.

But you can add Republican Angele Davis of Baton Rouge, the president and CEO of the Davis Kelley Group, to the list. She’s thinking about the race.

Reporter Julia O’Donoghue over at NOLA.com has included a few other new possibilities in her recent reporting as well, including state Sen. Eric LaFleur, D-Ville Platte; state Speaker Pro Tem Walt Leger, D-New Orleans; and retired Air Force Col. Rob Maness.

Like Fayard and Maness, Derrick Edwards, a New Orleans attorney and quadriplegic, ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate this year, but Edwards actually put out a press release last week stating he will be a candidate for treasurer.

State Rep. John Schroder, R-Covington, has been in the field the longest and is already building a campaign team. State Rep. Julie Stokes, R-Metairie, has started raising money and brought in a six-figure haul at an event last week.

Others looking at the contest include former House Speaker Chuck Kleckley, Acadiana health care executive Gus Rantz, state Sen. Neil Riser, R-Columbia, and state Rep. Paul Hollis, R-Mandeville.