The Daily Review du lieu suivant : Morgan City, Louisiana • 4

Page 4, The Daily Review. Morgan City. Monday. September 23. 1 996 i vv I 7 v.

tw Jll I llfi i-'V nil. State Senate seat awarded NEW ORLEANS (AP) The chairman of the state Republican Party aaya it looks aa if his state Senate district is just not ready for the GOP, even though a conservative Republican led the race for the US. Senate. "I think we've got a long ways to to a real two-party system in Louisiana, and I think the voters of this district are not yet ready for a state senator from the Republican Party," Mike Francis said after losing a state Senate runoff to Democratic state Rep. Gerald "Jerry" Theunissen.

"We put out a real strong conservative change message, and you can how the voters responded And I have to bow to the wishes of the public. They made an absolute statement with 56 percent of the vote, and you sure can't argue with that" be said. Complete but unofficial returns showed Theunissen with 20,320 votes, or 66 percent to 16,172, or 44 percent, for Francis. "I showed Jerry's record on taxes and asked the voters to vote for a more lean and efficient government The voters showed that they're pleased with a tax-and-spend representative," Francis said. The Senate seat was vacated when Cecil Picard, D-Abbeville, resigned to become state education superintendent Theunissen (pronounced 62, pushed his legislative experience 4 Vi years in the House.

Francis, 49, billed himself as the candidate for change. The district, which encompasses 73,766 eligible voters, includes all of Cameron Parish and parts of Calcasieu, Jeff Davis, Acadia and Vermilion parishes. It stretches from Abbeville, west to the Texss border, north from the Gulf of Mexico to Bayou Mallet in Acadia Parish, and pick up parts of Crowley, Jennings and Lake Charles. Former Iberia Parish Sheriff Er-rol "Romo" Romero and George Gros, who has been a parish councilman for 16 years, are in a runoff in the only House race. Complete but unofficial returns gave Romero 6,173 votea, or 37 percent, to 4,045 29 percent for Gros.

Ruth Fontenot was a distant third at 16 percent; Paul Segura had 12 percent and Mike Lopresto 6 percent. The House District 48 race will choose a successor to retired Rep. Elias'Bo'Ackal. Gros said government reform, education, economic development, crime and the state budget will be major issues in the runoff. Romero said the question is who can best represent the district, which covers 33 precincts in Iberia Parish and one in St Martin Parish.

Congressional runoffs slated By The Associated Press Hunter Lundy, who apparently missed a runoff spot in the 7th Congressional District race by only 29 votes, made it clear he is not ready to concede. We're still campaigning Lundy, a Democrat said Sunday. "We believe we're in the runoff." Complete but unofficial returns from Saturday's election put Democrst snd former state Rep. Chris John in first place with 45,379 or 26 percent of the vote. Republican David Thibodaux, a college instructor snd member of the Lafayette Parish School Board, was the apparent second-place finisher with 38,546 votes or 22 percent But Lundy, a Democrat was only 29 votes behind.

The seat was up for grabs because incumbent Jimmy Hayes, a Republican, decided to run for the Senate, The 7th District race was one of four contested House races Saturday. Three incumbent Robert Livingston, R-Metarie; Billy Tauzin, R-Chackbay and William Jefferson, D-New Orleans were unopposed. In the contested races, Jim McCrery, R-Shreveport, won easy re-election in the 4th District, as did Richard Baker, R-Baton Rouge, in the 6th. But the 7th District race was hotly contested, as was the race in the new 5th District, where there was no incumbent running. In that race, Republican John Cooksey, an opthamologist from Monroe placed first with 60,709 votes or 34 percent, according to almost complete but unofficial returns (one small precinct was still uncounted Sunday afternoon).

Veteran state legislator Francis Thompson, D-Delhi, was assured of a runoff spot with 49.656 or 28 percent He beat out former Congressman Clyde Holloway, a Republican from the Alexandria area, who had 48,093 or 27 percent. Holloway told The Town Talk that he did the best he could with his funds, saying he didnt have the money to do a lot of things in the campaign. "So, you know, no spilt milk. I'm not crying over what happened," Holloway said. I always say that each vote counts, and this is a case where each vote counts.

I had one of these four years ago, and they hurt You never forget these kind of races. You forget those you win big and you lose big, but you never forget the ones that are close like this." In the 7th District, Lundy and Thibodaux both said they will keep a clow eye on the returns. Asked if he would pursue a legal challenge if the tally does not go his way and what grounds he might have for a challenge Lundy was noncommittal. "I'm not going to tip my hand right now as to what we believe occurred," Lundy said. "We're not going to let the race be taken from us," he sdded.

Thibodaux on Sunday expressed confidence that he will maintain his second-place spot "We're going to have people from Washington, Baton Rouge and our campaign watching when they opeo the machines on Tuesday." Thibodaux said. Among the issues Thibodaux will stress in the runoff campaign, he said, will be party affiliation. With a GOP majority in the House, it is important that the district be represented by a Republican, Thibodaux said. A Republican stands a better chance of being appointed to important committee posts that affect southwestern Louisiana. While all of the candidates in the race stressed conservative themes, Thibodaux said being conservative is not enough, noting that Hayes' fortunes improved after he switched party several months ago.

The 7th district was not represented on any major committees in Washington until Jimmy Hayes switched," Thibodaux said. He said the Democratic leadership punishes party members who vote conservatively. Lundy is described by political observers as a Christian fundamentalist conservative. He gained some statewide notoriety a few years ago representing evangelist Marvin Gorman in a lawsuit against Jimmy Swaggart. He describes himself, however, as a fiscally conservative, socially moderate Democrat "I'm considered to be a good Democrat," he said.

Should subsequent vote counts put him in the runoff instead of Thibodaux, he said he will be critical of John's voting record in the state House. "My opponent is a career politician who's never really held a job," said Lundy. John lists as his work experience helping to run his family truck line. Like the 7th District race, the 5th District runoff will give the Democrats a chance to regain a little of the strength they have lost in recent years in the Louisiana House delegation. Thompson is a popular Democrat from Delhi who has served almost 22 years in the House.

lie could face problems, however, if the GOP vote that went to Holloway and other candidates unites behind Cooksey. Cooksey ran a campaign emphasizing his "outsider status, stressing that he was "not a career politician." Thompson stressed his experience. Both men said they would vote to limit taxes and the power of the federal government as 15 minutes after the polls closed. That is the mayor's wife, Sally, at left, and Matte's CPA partner, Guy Pitts, analyzing the results. (Daily Review Photo) MAYOR TIM MATTE won re-election Saturday In Morgan City and the numbers he is analyzing here stacked up in his favor early.

Matte won all but two of Morgan City's 1 4 precincts to win decisively and Matte supporters had begun to celebrate as early Supreme Court justices ousted in Saturday vote the high court since Reconstruction, University of New Orleans history professor Warren Billings said. He said that, as far as he knows, no incumbent justice ever had been defeated until Saturday. Campaign money was an issue in hoth campaigns. Traylor accused Bleich of being a pawn of trial lawyers. He also got an early endorsement of sorts from Gov.

Mike Foster, as the candidate opposed by trial lawyers. Foster, who pushed a package of liability law changes through the Legislature this year, called the race 'clearly a case of the bad guys against us' and said trial lawyers were "the bad guys." Knoll took her campaign ammunition from a news report that Watson had spent nearly $200,000 in campaign contributions on such things as a new CMC suburban, gifts from Tiffany's snd Washington parties. NEW ORLEANS (AP) Depending on how you look at it, it's a double or a triple first in Louisiana's Supreme Court. Never before had an incumbent justice been defeated for re-election. Two lost Saturday.

And not since Reconstruction has a Republican served on the state's highest court Now, there will be one. The new justices will be Jeanette Theriot Knoll, a Democrat, and Chet Traylor, a Republican. Traylor defeated Democrat Joe Bleich, who won a special election five months ago for a partial term. Knoll, an appeal court judge, defeated Jack Watson, who had been in office for 16 years. Complete but unofficial returns gave Knoll 102,564 votes to 84,666 for Watson, or 55 percent to 45 percent Traylor led Bleich by 60,480 to 52.881 53 to 47 percent with 99 percent of the precincts in.

Traylor is the first Republican on election in B.R. highlights mayors' races McHugh By The Associated Press Boosted by an $800,000 television advertising blitz, Baton Rouge Mayor Tom Ed McHugh easily won re-election for a third term. It was one of several mayoral elections held Saturday in Louisiana. Two of every three East Baton Rouge Parish voters who went to the polls Saturday chose McHugh, a Republican, over state Rep. Melvin "Kip" Holden, a Democrat McHugh said the vote indicates that people think he is the best person to "bring the community together to solve the problems." "We've been able to build a strong "I have often said I believe trial lawyers, who appear in front of justices should not be able to influence those justices by donating campaign funda," Traylor said after the returns were in and Bleich had conceded.

"The race is over, the people have spoken, and I'm going to do what I can to help Judge Traylor," Bleich said. He said that the double loss by incumbents "probably does say something about incumbents are endangered species. Because my voting record, if anybody looks as to this district couldn't be more conservative. But that didn't seem to make any difference." Each race was for a 10-year term. "I really appreciate the many good friends I have who worked so hard on my campaign to help me.

And other than that I have no comment," Watson said. to come in, we also have to take care of the people who are already here." Young, an alderman for five years before giving up his post to become interim mayor, cited years of community involvement and intentions to devote all his energy to the position. "I am fully retired, and I have no other business to run," Young said. 'I think my qualifications and ability are better than anybody's." Gary Soileau came in third with 23 percent or 897 votes. In Benton, incumbent Mayor Joe Stickell defeated Carl Janzen by one vote to retain his seat Stickell got 324 votea to Janzen's 323, according to complete but unofficial returns.

"We're going to continue the good government we've established and continue to work toward bringing industry to Benton," aaid Stickell. Voters in the tiny village of South Mansfield, re-elected Mayor Eugene Washington. Washington beat back a bid by former Mayor Dessie Lee Patterson, who served for over 20 years. Washington won with 60 percent of the vote, according to complete but unofficial results. In 1993, he was named to the post children At that time, Michael Kelly became the executive director and insisted that tenants linked to criminal activity lose the privilege of government-subsidized housing.

Of the 40 earlier evictions, 39 are drug-related. The other involves the intimidation of a witness in a murder trial. Several weeks ago, New Orleana police arrested Robert Clark while he waa leaving an apartment in the -W after legislative audita uncovered more than $144,000 in payment irregularities and other alleged improprieties including no budget, and hundreds of dollars in unauthorized calls to 900 psychic lines. Patterson was not prosecuted because she resigned and did not personally profit from the alleged misuse, prosecutors said. Coushatta Mayor Archie Wor-sham won his re-election bid against two challengers, complete but unofficial results showed.

Worsham had 62 percent of the vote against Lisa Shaver and Jerry Nash. Worsham's term begins Jan. 1. Dennis Freeman and Andrew McGlatbery Jr. are in a run-off for Logansport mayor.

Freeman, the incumbent, got 49 percent of the vote; McGlathery got 28 percent, according to complete but unofficial results Saturday. In Rodessa, Democrat Milton Hartsell is the new mayor. Hartsell, a retired news reporter, got 58 votea to Maudette Slaton'a 50 votes. Slaton had been interim mayor of the village since March, replacing former Mayor Barbara Hill who moved to Vivian. evicted housing complex where the 22-year-old woman and her two children live.

Officers found five small baga of marijuana on Clark. When they entered the woman's apartment, they also found a large plastic bag with several smaller bags contain ingcocaine, police aaid. Clark waa booked with possession with intent to distribute marijuana and cocaine. base of support because I think people believe we've served them well for the last eight years," McHugh said. "People know that the problems we have with crime and transportation are a lot larger than one man can solve." The fuel in McHugh campaign was a television advertising blitz costing more than $800,000, according to the mayor's campaign finance reports.

Holden struggled through the race with few campaign funds. Holden, who was unavailable for comment following Saturday's election, has said during the campaign that McHugh lacks the foresight needed to lead a progressive government for the next four years. Holden said the mayor has not taken advantage of a federal low-interest loan program to bring millions of dollars to East Baton Rouge Parish to finance economic development and improvements to city-parish road, sewer and drainage systems. McHugh said he and Holden have different philosophies on the role of government He said his goal is to create an environment in which private business can prosper. Drugs get NEW ORLEANS (AP) A woman and her two children will be evicted from the Guste public housing complex because illegal drugs were found in her apartment, the Housing Authority of New Orleana aaid.

The woman and her two children will be sent a notice by Monday to leave the apartment within 10 days, aaid Brenda Drain-Williams, the authority's deputy executive director of Holden'i approach, particularly with the federal loan program, puts government in direct competition with banks and other lending institutions, McHugh said. McHugh ran for a third term despite a promise in 1988 that he would serve only two terms. His new term begins in January. In other mayor's races: Voters in Pine Prairie reelected Terrel McCauley. In complete, but unofficial returns, McCauley received 79 percent of the ballots cast.

His opponent, Ken Nabors received 21 percent of the vote. -In Eunice, interim Mayor Gil Young and Kenneth Peart will square off in a Nov. 5 runoff. Peart received 46 percent, or 1,868 votes, compared to Young's 1,291 votes or 31 percent, complete but unofficial returns showed. The men are seeking to fill the remaining two years of Hubert Rougeau's term.

Rougeau died in May from complications following a massive stroke. Peart, who was an alderman for more than 13 years, has said he will focus on attracting businesses to the city. "Not only do we have to make Eunice attractive for the outsiders woman, management "We're serious about enforcing the Clinton administration'a one-atrike-and-you're-out policy," she said. The policy benefits the majority of residents who do not want illegal drugs in their neighborhoods." If evicted, they would become the 41st family ousted from public housing in New Orleana since its administration changed in April 1995. CANDIDATE TIM TREGLE chalks up results on a tote board at his chiropractic clinic where he holed up Saturday awaiting the election verdict Tregle, a former parish councilman, lost to Mayor Tim Matte by a 55 percent to 45 percent margin.

That Is Tregle supporter Jerry Cunningham helping post the results. (Daily Review Photo).