LSU law professor/attorney seeks La. Secretary of State post
22nd December 2014 · 0 Comments
By Christopher Tidmore
Contributing Writer
what are my chances of getting approved for a personal loan Former Louisiana Secretary of State Jim Brown observed that he entered the office with $500,000 of campaign debt—which he only paid off eight years later upon running for governor. “Nobody wants to give money to the Secretary of State,” he joked to The Louisiana Weekly, comparing the fundraising experience to his successful bids for state senator and state insurance commissioner. Unlike other elected positions, nothing that the Louisiana Secretary of State’s office does excites contributors to give candidates any significant help.
If Democrat Chris Tyson has a chance to oust Republican incumbent Tom Schedler, and become the first African-American Louisiana Secretary of best cash advance Louis. State, it will be because he is uniquely able to fund raise nationally.
TYSON
The incumbent GOP Secretary of State does hope to raise $500,000 before qualifying in August, but against a installment loans superior wi strong election challenger with a national network, there is real danger of an ongoing financial disadvantage. Moreover, unlike his predecessor and former boss Jay Dardenne, Tom Schedler lacks a statewide political profile independent of his current position. He did serve as a former State Senator from St. Tammany Parish, but unlike many politicians, personality-wise Schedler comes off as more the mild-mannered type.
Technically the Secretary of State should be an apolitical office. It oversees elections after all. However in this critical aspect lies Chris Tyson’s national fundraising advantage.
“Voter access” is his number one issue, Tyson explained payday loans in st augustine fl to The Louisiana Weekly. National civil rights groups and African-American advocacy PACs have begun a wholesale effort to elect Secretaries of State in those places that elect the position. Voter ID laws and ballot access are encouraging contributors on the political left and in the African-American leadership to open contributors’ pocketbooks. Particularly in the South where governors’ offices may seem out of reach for Democrats, smaller statewide positions could still remain competitive.
Tyson himself believes that the focus on the Louisiana governor’s race and the coming battle royal between David Vitter, Jay Dardenne, and Scott Angelle, will draw away attention from online payday loans low interest the comparative novelty of an African-American Democrat taking on a white incumbent in Louisiana.
Perhaps, and perhaps the fact that the strongest African-American candidate in the state’s history, Baton Rouge Mayor Kip Holden, will be running for lieutenant governor at the same time will also help provide Tyson with momentum.
Holden hopes to use his pro-business, moderate profile to frame himself as a different kind of Democrat. Still, the effect of Barack Obama on state politics in Louisiana remains. Republican Forrest Wright lost a PSC race to Eric Skrmetta because he could be painted with the hometown cash advance fulton il brush of being a former Democrat who voted for Barack Obama. If such a mild political association can defeat a Republican, albeit narrowly, can an African-American Democrat thrive in such a political environment – at least in 2015?
In interviews, Schedler acknowledged Tyson’s gift for garnering contributions from people outside Louisiana. Yet, he was quick to note to The Advocate that those supporters can’t show their support with a vote on Election Day.
Tyson believes that his due diligence and what he offers Louisiana, will.
This article originally published in the December 22, 2014 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.
