Marriage and politics are strange bedfellows? Maybe not

17th August 2015   ·   0 Comments

By Christopher Tidmore
Contributing Writer

John Young and Billy Nungesser breathed a sign of relief last week, though perhaps not as a loudly as Jay Dardenne and Scott Angelle, as rumors surface that Democrat Jason Williams might just decide to run for Governor—ironically, in part, because of the fallout from the New Orleans City Councilman’s divorce proceedings.

In theory, with Williams’ core support in the 7th Ward potentially affected by former in-laws, a bid for Governor might be just the thing to shore up the Councilman’s position with millennials and progressives in a bid for Mayor of New Orleans the following year. That is, if he can stop David Vitter from becoming the next Governor.

And, if Williams cannot, John Georges might. He resigned as Publisher of the Advocate newspaper, a likely sign that the Democratic business magnate is close to qualifying for governor.

The odds of either Georges or Williams winning, according to political pundits, are slim to none, though the Georges boasts of a poll that says the race would be tight.

Yet, what those same pundits are saying is that the presence of either in the Governor’s race ensures that the Democratic vote would become so divided among their candidates that Republicans Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne or PSC Commissioner Scott Angelle would then have a statistical chance to make a runoff with GOP US Senator David Vitter instead of Democratic State House leader Rep. John Bel Edwards. Every poll, thus far, points to Vitter defeating Edwards’ in a run-off.

Without other Democrats in the field, every survey shows Edwards trouncing the other GOP contenders into a runoff with Vitter. That has led one contender, Republican Scott Angelle (a former Democratic St. Martin Parish President and Lt. Governor) to argue to Democrats that they are better forming a coalition with him to get in the runoff and defeat Vitter. Democrats, the PSC Commissioner has maintained, would have more influence in victory, voting for a Republican, than in defeat as a unified party.

That would mean Democrats would have to cast a ballot for a GOP candidate over an attractive contender from their own party in the October 24 Primary. Rep. Edwards is a West Point graduate with a sterling record in the legislature, who formed the first true minority partisan-based opposition to a GOP governor in more than a century. So as a result, Angelle’s argument has gone nowhere.

The State Democratic Party formally endorsed Edwards, even though there was another minor candidate running, Cary Deaton, believing there would be no other major contenders. More on point, no African-American elected official wanted to be the sacrificial lamb in the Governor’s race.

Then, Jason Williams and his wife started divorce proceedings. “It’s an uncomfortable thing to talk about,” political insider Brian Trascher told The Louisiana Weekly.

Williams is married to former New Orleans Mayor Sidney Barthelemy’s daughter, he explained. The familial connection to a prominent 7th Ward family has helped Williams with the city’s influential Black Creole community, and provided a pillar of support in his bids for office.

“Jason may see running for Governor as a way to shore up his support among millennials and other Democrats,” Trascher explained, should he be able to stop Vitter. That would make up for any loss of support in the 7th Ward.

Apparently, according to sources, Councilman Williams has been one of the people privately also saying that it does no good for Democrats to lose to David Vitter. Better Angelle or Dardenne make a runoff, and owe their win to the opposition party—and the Black community.

Trascher believes that Williams could run for Governor trumpeting his progressive ideas, and then use that platform to build support with younger Democrats and Liberals. “He may be able to get away from some of the ‘ill will’” that a messy divorce from Sidney Barthelemy’s daughter has inadvertently produced in a segment of the Black community.

Considering that there is another Mayoral contender with strong support amongst the city’s old-line Black families, namely State Senator JP Morrell, Williams needs to strengthen his bonafides with other voters. It is not an accident that last week Morrell made a high-profile announcement that he will run again for his current State Senate seat, despite having no obvious opposition. His press releases had the future in mind.

Jason Williams said on Thurs­day, August 6, that he will make a decision “very soon” about whether to qualify for the gubernatorial race.

In an interview with Poli­ticsla.com, Williams ex­plained to reporter Jeremy Alford that he is “100 percent committed” to New Orleans. Yet, the Councilman added that he has received calls from people “all over the state” urging him to run for the state’s top job.

A run could be important, he maintained, because a number of crucial issues from mental health care to environmental concerns to women’s issues have been all but ignored by the present gubernatorial contenders.

“I feel like these are some serious issues that will directly affect the health of this state,” he observed.

Likewise, Williams (and/or Georges) jumping in the race would have a chain reaction effect, convincing hesitant contributors and insiders alike that Dardenne will not change course and run again for re-election to the Lt. Governorship. That helps Young and Nungesser, who have sought funding for that job, for which it is notoriously hard to fundraise.

Williams or Georges getting in would also help Mike Yenni and Elton Lagasse, the two Jefferson Parish President contenders who have fought the perception that Young would opt to run for re-election to his Parish Presidency if Dardenne ran for Lt. Governor again. Their fundraising and media profiles have been affected equally.

Insiders await Jason Williams’ decision—and John Georges’. Qualifying for the October 24, 2015 elections is September 8-10.

This article originally published in the August 17, 2015 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.