INDReporter

St. Martin officials eye District 46 race

by Nathan Stubbs

While a special election for the District 46 state House seat hasn't even been scheduled yet, already several potential candidates are sizing up their chances. While a special election for the District 46 state House seat hasn't even been scheduled yet, already several candidates are sizing up their chances. With his election Saturday to the state Senate, Fred Mills is vacating the St. Martin Parish District 46 House seat. Speaker of the House Jim Tucker, away this week at a redistricting conference in Washington D.C., has sole discretion on scheduling the special election and has yet to indicate when it might be. The election, and possible runoff may likely run past the start date of the legislature's March special session on redistricting, meaning the next state rep may have to jump immediately into the job. He or she also faces the possibility of having to run an immediate re-election campaign in October, if more competition emerges.

Rumored to be eyeing the race are Mike Huval, a longtime St. Martin Parish police juror and councilman; The Advocate's circulation director Dean Blanchard, who is the son of St. Martin Parish School Board President James Blanchard; and well-connected St. Martinville city councilman Craig Prosper. Another less likely but potential heavyweight candidate is Breaux Bridge Mayor Jack Dale Delhomme.