Jay Dardenne

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Jay Dardenne
Secretary of State
In office 2006 – Present
Preceded by	Al Ater
Born	February 6, 1954 (1954-02-06) (age 54) Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Catherine McDonald "Cathy" Dardenne
Profession	Politician and Lawyer

John Leigh "Jay" Dardenne, Jr. (born February 6, 1954), is the Republican secretary of state of Louisiana. Formerly, Dardenne (pronounced DAR DEN) was a state senator from the Baton Rouge suburbs, having served from 1992 until after his election on September 30, 2006, as secretary of state.

Dardenne was handily reelected to a full term in the October 20, 2007, jungle primary. He received 758,156 votes (63 percent) to 373,956 (31 percent) for the Democrat R. Wooley. A "No Party" candidate, Scott Lewis, received the remaining 64,704 votes (5 percent). Dardenne won fifty-eight of the state's sixty-four parishes. Though Dardenne outpolled gubernatorial candidate Bobby Jindal, a fellow Republican, in raw votes, Jindal won sixty-one parishes. Like Jindal, Dardenne lost the north Louisiana parishes of Bienville and Red River. ^[1]

Contents 1 Personal information and early career 2 Secretary of state candidacy and transition 3 Dardenne in two-car collison 4 Other News 5 Election History 6 Footnotes

[edit] Personal information and early career

Dardenne is the son of Janet Abramson Dardenne and the late John Leigh Dardenne, Sr. He is married to the former Catherine "Cathy" McDonald (born 1955) and has two sons, John L. Dardenne, III (born 1984), and Matthew M. Dardenne.^[2] Dardenne is Jewish^[3], and is the first known Jewish state official in Louisiana since U.S. Senator Benjamin F. Jonas in the 19th century.^[4] He is a graduate of Baton Rouge High School. Dardenne later graduated from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, with both bachelor's and law degrees. He was elected student body president while at LSU.^[5]

He is also a community leader, active in numerous social and civic endeavors in his native Baton Rouge, including the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the annual Labor Day Telethon, the Cerebral Palsy Foundation, and the River City Festivals Association. He currently serves as chairman of the U. S. National Senior Sports Classic (the Senior Olympics) and has served as president of ten nonprofit entities serving the greater Baton Rouge Community.^[6]

In 1987, Dardenne narrowly lost his first race for the state Senate to the Democratic incumbent Larry Bankston.^[7] He then won an election for a seat on the East Baton Rouge Metropolitan Council and held that seat until 1992.^[8]

In 1991, Dardenne ran again for the state Senate. He trailed fellow Republican Lynda Imes in the primary but came back to win the seat in the general election.^[9] He quickly gained a reputation as a champion of reform and a thorn in the side of Democratic Governor Edwin Washington Edwards, though few of his reform proposals were passed.^[10]

Following the election of Republican Murphy J. "Mike" Foster as governor in 1995, Dardenne became the governor's floor leader and began to pass landmark legislation. He continued to push for reforms in the administration of Foster's successor, Democrat Kathleen Blanco, but Blanco largely shunned Dardenne.^[11]

Among other accomplishments, Dardenne helped pass constitutional amendments on term limits, coastal erosion and victims' rights, the creation of a single State Board of Ethics, spearheading reform of the river pilots' system, and working to reduce government waste as the chairman of the Louisiana Senate Finance Committee.^[12]

Dardenne was named the "National Republican Legislator of the Year" in 2003.^[13] According to the Louisiana Political Fax Weekly of December 20, 2002, "Jay Dardenne... is widely regarded as one of the most talented lawmakers to ever serve [sic] in the Capitol."^[14]

[edit] Secretary of state candidacy and transition

Dardenne ran in the September 30 special election to complete the term vacated by the death of former Secretary of State W. Fox McKeithen, a fellow Republican who died in the summer of 2005. McKeithen had been temporarily succeeded by his friend, former Democratic State Representative Alan Ray Ater (born 1953) of Ferriday in Concordia Parish, at the time an assistant secretary of state under McKeithen, who chose not to run for the post in the special election.^[15]

The major candidates in the race were Dardenne, Democratic state Senator Francis Heitmeier of New Orleans and former Republican State Chairman Mike Francis of Lafayette.^[16] The race was characterized by attacks on Dardenne from Francis (both taking pro-life positions) over predominantly social issues, including a vote that Dardenne cast in the 1990s for language in the federal Hyde Amendment which allows for federally-funded abortions in the case of rape or incest. These exceptions have been included since 1977 in response to an outcry by women's rights advocates, while abortion opponents argue that they punish the unborn for the crimes of the fathers. Dardenne maintained that his vote was required to allow the flow of Medicaid funds into Louisiana. ^[17]

Despite these attacks, Dardenne was able to project himself as the candidate of reform in the race, and racked up huge numbers of votes in the Baton Rouge area, the suburbs of New Orleans and even into the heavily Democratic city of New Orleans itself. He received 30 percent of the vote in the primary; Heitmeier, 28 percent, and Francis, 26 percent. Minor candidates took the rest of the vote. A Dardenne v. Heitmeier runoff loomed.^[18] Francis chose not to endorse either candidate and stated his intentions to run for the seat in the 2007 regular election.^[19] Franics, however, did not seek the position in the October 20, 2007, jungle primary. ^[20]

About two weeks into the special election runoff campaign, Heitmeier withdrew. He cited the fact that his New Orleans black voter base had been decimated because of Hurricane Katrina. He said that without help from national Democrats, victory over Dardenne would be impossible. Perhaps, his action was premature in light of the national Democratic sweep in the 2006 midterm elections.^[21]

There was speculation that the secretary of state race could mark a sea change in Louisiana politics because Dardenne, Francis, and two minor Republicans together received 54 percent of the vote in the city of New Orleans. Dardenne alone obtained 40 percent. New Orleans has previously been the power base for the state Democratic Party; several major Democrats could be potentially weakened by this development, including Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco and U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu.^[22] Still, months earlier, two Republican candidates for mayor of New Orleans combined barely polled 10 percent of the vote.^[23]

Following Heitmeier's withdrawal, Dardenne was declared the winner by default. He was sworn into office on November 10, 2006. He is a candidate for a full four-year term on October 20 and faces only minimal opposition.^[24]

[edit] Dardenne in two-car collison

Dardenne was hospitalized on August 6, 2007, for a spinal injury and broken ribs following a two-car collision on Interstate 12 in Baton Rouge.

The collision occurred near the Essen Lane exit ramp after the secretary of state had left a downtown breakfast meeting. He was transported to Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center where he was in the neurological intensive care unit. He sustained rib fractures, chest bruises, and pelvic and back injuries to the L-2 vertebra, near the base of the spine. Dardenne was reportedly awake and alert.^[25] His surgery was completed on August 14.^[26]

[edit] Other News

Shortly after becoming secretary of state, Dardenne announced that he will personally participate in anti-litter efforts even though such activities are not within the domain of his office. Dardenne told the Press Club of Baton Rouge that he saw too much litter as the traveled the state in his campaign for secretary of state. "The landscape of our state is . . . a window to the world. Anything we can do to call attention to this problem, we will do," Dardenne said.^[27] He also successfully pushed to cancel admission fees to the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum in Shreveport and the Old State Capitol and Old Arsenal Museum in Baton Rouge, saying that the financial loss from lost cancelled museum fees will be absorbed in his departmental budget through other cost reductions and that "people ought to be able to enjoy museums free of charge."^[28]

In the recent legislative session, Dardenne also pushed for election reform and against establishing satellite voting areas throughout the state and elsewhere for Hurricane Katrina evacuees, similar to those established for the New Orleans Mayoral race in 2006, for the 2007 Gubernatorial and statewide races. Dardenne proposed that to draw more and younger poll commissioners to replace those retire or pass away, that commissioner fees be increased and Election Day hours be shortened, with a longer Early Voting period to compensate for the shortening.^[29]

Dardenne also objected to widespead satellite voting for Katrina evacuees on the basis that it would impose an overwhelming and impossible burden on election workers, stating that "if this bill passes, you are saying to them [election workers], you have to run an additional election for Orleans Parish. That is not going to work." Dardenne said that it was possible to do that for the Mayoral race in 2006 because it was "the only game in town. There were no other elections taking place." Dardenne did however support the reinstatement of absentee voting provisions from the election.^[30]

Jay Dardenne has also been mentioned as a possible United States Senate candidate against incumbent Democrat Mary Landrieu in the 2008 elections, along with State Treasurer John Kennedy, a maverick Democrat who switched to the Republican Party shortly before qualifying for reelection in 2007. Baton Rouge Congressman Richard Baker was also mentioned as a candidate, but has stated that "it is nothing I intend to take on."^[31]

[edit] Election History

Louisiana State Senate, District 15, 1987

Threshold > 50%

First Ballot, October 24, 1987

Candidate	Affiliation	Support	Outcome
Larry S. Bankston	Democrat	15,401 (46%)	Runoff
John L. "Jay" Dardenne, Jr.	Republican	10,313 (31%)	Runoff
Johnny H. Dykes	Democratic	3,790 (11%)	Defeated
"Chuck" Hall	Republican	2,046 (6%)	Defeated
Others	n.a.	2,063 (6%)	Defeated

Second Ballot, November 8, 1987

Candidate	Affiliation	Support	Outcome
Larry S. Bankston	Democratic	12,619 (51%)	Elected
John L. "Jay" Dardenne, Jr.	Republican	12,332 (49%)	Defeated

East Baton Rouge Metropolitan Council, District 12, 1988

Threshold > 50%

First Ballot, October 1, 1988

Candidate	Affiliation	Support	Outcome
John L. "Jay" Dardenne, Jr.	Republican	5,596 (62%)	Winner
Craig S. Watson	Democratic	2,175 (24%)	Defeated
"Pam" Atiyeh	Republican	1,005 (11%)	Defeated
Mike Kolakowski	Democratic	285 (3%)	Defeated

Louisiana State Senate, District 16, 1991

Threshold > 50%

First Ballot, October 19, 1991

Candidate	Affiliation	Support	Outcome
Lynda Imes	Republican	21,679 (48%)	Runoff
John L. "Jay" Dardenne, Jr.	Republican	18,642 (42%)	Runoff
Francis Pellegrin	Republican	2,098 (5%)	Defeated
Others	n.a.	2,391 (5%)	Defeated

Second Ballot, November 16, 1991

Candidate	Affiliation	Support	Outcome
John L. "Jay" Dardenne, Jr.	Republican	26,120 (52%)	Elected
Lynda Imes	Republican	23,934 (48%)	Defeated

Louisiana State Senate, District 16, 1995

Candidate	Affiliation	Support	Outcome
John L. "Jay" Dardenne, Jr.	Republican	--	Unopposed

Louisiana State Senate, District 16, 1999

Candidate	Affiliation	Support	Outcome
John L. "Jay" Dardenne, Jr.	Republican	--	Unopposed

Louisiana State Senate, District 16, 2003

Threshold > 50%

First Ballot, October 4, 2003

Candidate	Affiliation	Support	Outcome
Jay Dardenne	Republican	34,679 (78%)	Elected
Chris Warner	Republican	9,758 (22%)	Defeated

Secretary of State of Louisiana, 2006

Threshold > 50%

First Ballot, September 30, 2006

Candidate	Affiliation	Support	Outcome
"Jay" Dardenne	Republican	191,562 (30%)	Runoff
Francis C. Heitmeier	Democratic	179,153 (28%)	Runoff
"Mike" Francis	Republican	168,185 (26%)	Defeated
Mary Chehardy	Republican	56,225 (9%)	Defeated
Others	n.a.	48,802 (13%)	Defeated

Second Ballot, November 7, 2006

Candidate	Affiliation	Support	Outcome
"Jay" Dardenne	Republican	--	Elected
Francis C. Heitmeier	Democratic	--	Withdrawn

Secretary of State of Louisiana, 2007

Threshold > 50%

First Ballot, October 20, 2007

Candidate	Affiliation	Support	Outcome
"Jay" Dardenne	Republican	757,821 (63%)	Elected
Robert "Bob" Wooley	Democratic	374,199 (31%)	Defeated
Scott Lewis	Independent	64,723 (5%)	Defeated

All election results taken from the Louisiana Secretary of State website.^[32]

Political offices
Preceded by Kenneth Osterberger (R)	Louisiana State Senator, District 16 1992–2006	Succeeded by Bill Cassidy (R)
Preceded by Al Ater (D)	Secretary of State of Louisiana 2006–present	Succeeded by Incumbent

v • d • e State Secretaries of State in the United States     AL: Beth Chapman AK: No such office AR: Charlie Daniels AZ: Jan Brewer CA: Debra Bowen CO: Mike Coffman CT: Susan Bysiewicz DE: Harriett Smith Windsor FL: Kurt S. Browning GA: Karen Handel HI: No such office ID: Ben Ysursa IL: Jesse White IN: Todd Rokita IA: Michael Mauro KS: Ron Thornburgh KY: Trey Grayson LA: Jay Dardenne MD: Dennis Schnepfe MA: Bill Galvin ME: Matthew Dunlap MI: Terri Lynn Land MN: Mark Ritchie MS: Delbert Hosemann MO: Robin Carnahan MT: Brad Johnson NE: John Gale NV: Ross Miller NH: Bill Gardner NJ: Nina Mitchell Wells NM: Mary Herrera NY: Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez NC: Elaine Marshall ND: Al Jaeger OH: Jennifer Brunner OK: M. Susan Savage OR: Bill Bradbury PA: Pedro Cortes RI: Ralph Mollis SC: Mark Hammond SD: Chris Nelson TN: Riley Darnell TX: Phil Wilson UT: No such office VT: Deborah Markowitz VA: Katherine Hanley WA: Sam Reed WV: Betty Ireland WI: Doug LaFollette WY: Max Maxfield *In states without a Secretary of State, the Lt. Governor may perform some of the typical functions of a Secretary of State, but the offices are not the same.

v • d • e Current Government of Louisiana Statewide Elected Officials Senior United States Senator Junior United States Senator Mary Landrieu (D) David Vitter (R) Governor of Louisiana Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana Louisiana Secretary of State Louisiana Attorney General Louisiana Treasurer Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner of Insurance Bobby Jindal (R) Mitch Landrieu (D) Jay Dardenne (R) Buddy Caldwell (D) John Neely Kennedy (R) Mike Strain (R) Jim Donelon (R) Senate President President Pro Tempore Joel Chaisson (D) Sharon Weston Broome (D) House Speaker Speaker Pro Tempore Jim Tucker (R) Karen Carter Peterson (D)

[edit] Footnotes