Louisiana Supreme Court elections
From Judgepedia
The Louisiana Supreme Court elections in 2008 will fill a vacancy in the First District of the Louisiana Supreme Court created by the retirement of Chief Justice Pascal Calogero. In Louisiana, the seven Louisiana Supreme Court justices are elected in partisan elections for ten-year terms.
Contest for 1st Supreme Court district
The three candidates who are running for Justice Calogero's first district seat on the court are:
- Republican Judge Jimmy Kuhn of Pontchatoula;
- Democratic Judge Roland Belsome of New Orleans;
- Republican Judge Greg Guidry of Jefferson Parish.[1]
This field will be narrowed down to two candidates in a statewide primary held on October 4.[2]
Retiring Justice Calogero is considered more liberal on liability and tax issues. The campaign to fill the opening on the court created by his resignation therefore represents what one newspaper article calls an "historic chance" to shift the balance on the court toward a conservative judicial philosophy with regard to tort reform and similar issues.
A leading business group, the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI) has weighed in with its area PAC endorsement of Judge Greg Guidry.[3]
Contest for 5th Supreme Court district
Current Justice Kitty Kimball, of the Fifth District is also up for re-election from her district. Her opponent is Jeff Hughes.
If Kimball succeeds in her quest for re-election, she will be the most tenured Justice. Since the court's Chief Justice seat is always filled with the justice with the most seniority on the court, she would then become the court's Chief Justice.
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Campaign warchests
In April, six months before the October 4 primary, Democrat and Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal Judge Roland Belsome of New Orleans reported a war chest of $173,825 and no outstanding loans — after spending only $100 in the first quarter of 2008. GOP candidate and Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal Judge Greg Guidry of Nine Mile Point in Jefferson Parish had $59,419 on hand, after raising $27,850 in contributions and repaying $63,379 in loans — most from Guidry himself. First Circuit Court Judge Jimmy Kuhn of Ponchatoula, in Tangipahoa Parish, reported $7,536, after raising $46,900 in contributions and spending $30,235 without any loan activity. All three are running for Pascal Calogero's seat, and Calogero's district includes all of St. Helena, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Washington parishes, as well as parts of both Orleans and Jefferson parishes.[4]
The 2006 elections
In 2006, justices Jeannette Theriot Knoll and Chet Traylor were unopposed in their bids for re-election.
The 2004 elections
In 2004, one seat on the court was open. Justice Jeffrey Victory, a Republican, beat Democratic challenger Stephen Beasley. Victory's campaign spent about $500,000, while Beasley's spent just short of $400,000.
See also
External links
- Louisana Supreme Court rules on conduct of judicial elections
- Justice at Stake 2006 election results
- "Rent-a-Justice", Jonathan Turley, 2/3/08
- Candidates who signed up for fall elections
