INDReporter

Angelle eyeing sec./state?

by Walter Pierce

A growing field of candidates in the fall election for Louisiana secretary of state now includes a speculative, high-profile pol from Acadiana: state Department of Natural Resources Secretary Scott Angelle.

A growing field of candidates in the fall election for Louisiana secretary of state now includes a speculative, high-profile pol from Acadiana: state Department of Natural Resources Secretary Scott Angelle, the former St. Martin Parish president and interim lieutenant governor whose political stock skyrocketed following last summer's speech at the Rally for Economic Survival, and whose political fortunes were no doubt fortified with his switch from Democrat to Republican several months ago.

Louisiana political columnist John Maginnis tossed Angelle into the mix late last week:

According to three sources who have talked to him this week, Natural Resources Secretary Scott Angelle is leaning strongly toward running for secretary of state this fall. The former St. Martin Parish president weighed that race against making a challenge to Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne, who holds a more attractive office, but it would be a harder race to win. It grew harder on Saturday, when the Louisiana Sheriffs Association endorsed Dardenne. Winning secretary of state won't be easy; but Angelle, a recently switched Republican, likes his geographic odds against four potential candidates from the New Orleans area: current Secretary of State Tom Schedler, Speaker of the House Jim Tucker (who says he is leaning toward running), Rep. Walker Hines, and the lone Democrat, Caroline Fayard.

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