Several new faces elected to serve Avoyelles

Only one multi-candidate race in Avoyelles Parish was forced into a runoff after the final tally of votes was taken in the Oct. 12 election.

SHERIFF’S ELECTION
Sheriff Doug Anderson finished second to former State Trooper David Dauzat to set up a Nov. 16 showdown for Avoyelles’ chief law enforcement officer. Dauzat had 44.7 percent to Anderson’s 33.9 percent. Mansura Police Chief John Johnson pulled enough votes in third place to deny anyone a first-round victory.

Dauzat said the race was tough but clean, and he is expecting the runoff to be the same.

“I want to thank everyone who supported me and anyone who didn’t vote for me in the primary who will vote for me in the runoff,” Dauzat said.

Anderson said he was disappointed in the results.

“I had expected to do better,” he said. “In the 11 years I have been sheriff, we have come a long way. Now it is on to the runoff where I will fight to the end.”

In the other parishwide election, Clerk of Court Connie Desselle scored a Round 1 knockout with 53.45 percent of the votes over two opponents, Alissa Piazza Tassin, 37.78 and Chris Dupuy with 8.77 of the votes.

Desselle has worked in the clerk’s office for 22 years and campaigned on her experience. When Clerk of Court Connie Couvillon decided to retire in July with almost a year remaining in her four-year term, Desselle was the chief deputy clerk and became interim clerk until a new clerk would be elected and take over on July 1, 2020.

“I am grateful and thankful for all of the support I received,” Desselle said. “I have been campaigning for 6 1/2 months and I have a met a lot of people.

“I was surprised by the outcome, but I had hoped for a first-round win,” she continued. “I guess it was meant to be.”

POLICE JURY RACES

There will be three new faces on the Police Jury. There were five two-candidate races for the parish governing board.

Long-time jurors Mark Borrel in District 3 and McKinley "Pop" Keller in District 6 were re-elected. First-term incumbents Marsha Wiley in District 1, Trent Clark in District 7 and Henry Moreau in District 9 were defeated.

Borrel received 54.61 percent of the vote over Russell Marcotte's 45.39. "Pop" Keller defeated Francis Keller by a 60.71 to 39.29 margin.

Former Police Juror Elzie Bryant defeated Wiley with 52.69 percent of the vote. Bobby Bordelon unseated Clark with 53.65 percent of the ballots cast. Jacob Coco outpolled Moreau, 66.56 percent to 33.44 percent.

In District 1, Bryant said he is “glad to be able to serve Avoyelles Parish again.” He was on the Police Jury from 2000-2008.

In District 3, Borrel said he is looking forward to working with the three new jurors but has to admit to being disappointed to see three of his colleagues go.

In District 6, “Pop” Keller said he was hampered by a recent surgery and was unable to actively campaign, “but the people had faith in me and re-elected me. I am so grateful.”

In District 7, Bordelon said he was pleased with the results and it was apparent “the residents of this district were looking for a change. I am looking forward to working the the other jurors to take a serious look at several drainage issues in this parish.”

In District 9, Coco said he will resign from the Simmesport Town Council in December prior to starting his term as police juror on Jan. 1.

“It was a clean election,” Coco said. “I thank the people for supporting me.”

He said he will be doing an assessment of the road and drainage needs of the district and plans to hold “town hall” meetings around the district to get input from residents.

3 LEGISLATIVE SEATS

All three of the parish’s legislative seats were decided on Oct. 12. All three winners are Republicans.

Daryl Deshotel, a Hessmer businessman, received over 61 percent of the votes cast to win the District 28 representative seat vacated by term-limited Robert Johnson, a Marksville attorney.

School teacher Marcus Johnson of Mansura finished second with 17.5 percent. Former police jury and retired 911 Director Donald Milligan had 16.2 percent. Ramondo Ramos of Bunkie was fourth with 5 percent.

Deshotel said he was pleased, but not surprised, by the victory over three opponents.

“We were getting that feedback over the past few weeks,” Deshotel said. “We were receiving a lot of positive feedback and support throughout the parish.

“I am pleased it was a good, clean race and now I am ready to get to work to serve this community.”

In Senate District 28, former Turkey Creek Mayor Heather Cloud defeated two state representatives to claim victory and become the first woman to serve Avoyelles in the state Senate.

Cloud had over 63 percent. Robert Johnson of Marksville had 23.7 and H. Bernard LeBas of Ville Platte 13 percent.

The Senate district includes all or part of Avoyelles, Evangeline, Allen, Acadia and St. Landry parishes.

“I am so grateful for all the confidence and support from the whole district,” Cloud said. “I heard I would do well in Avoyelles. The results were a bit unexpected. I was pleasantly surprised by the support I received.

“I want the people of Avoyelles to know that I will represent Avoyelles with all my heart.”

In Avoyelles, Cloud outpolled home parish favorite son Johnson, 51.54 percent to 44.79. LeBas received only 3.69 percent of the votes in Avoyelles.

Johnson said he was disappointed in the outcome but hopes Cloud will be successful in working for Avoyelles Parish.

“I had a great 12 years in the Legislature,” Johnson said. “We did a lot for Avoyelles Parish. I am proud of the work we have done.”

Johnson said he enjoyed his 12 years in the House of Representatives and still has some work to do before his term ends on Dec. 31 and Deshotel takes over the position on Jan. 1.

“I am very thankful for the opportunity I was given to represent the great people of Avoyelles Parish for the past 12 years,” Johnson said.

“Although my term is ending, I will still be around to help in any way I can,” he continued. “I will be eternally grateful to the people of Avoyelles Parish for allowing me to serve them in the Legislature.”

In Senate District 32, Glen Womack of Harrisonburg apparently won a close primary victory over three opponents.

In a testament to “every vote counts,” Womack received just over the required 50-percent-plus-one votes to avoid a runoff, 18,588 to 18,504.

Steve May received 31 percent, Judia Duhon 13 percent and Daniel Cole 6 percent.

The district includes six of Avoyelles’ 49 precincts, including the Ward 1 and Big Bend areas.

“I am humbled and grateful that we were able to pull it out in the first election,” Womack said. “I look forward to serving the district and bringing my business skills into the picture.

Womack owns a construction company.

In the Board of Elementary & Secondary Education District 8 race, Preston Castille was elected with 52 percent of the votes. Veretta Tanner Lee had 18 percent, Chakesha Webb Scott had 16 percent and Jonathan Loveall had 14 percent.

GOVERNOR’S RACE VOTE
Avoyelles voters tracked the state in putting Gov. John Bel Edwards as the top vote-getter with just over 40 percent -- lower than his statewide 46.6 percent. However, they picked their Republican congressman Ralph Abraham over businessman Eddie Rispone for the runner-up position, 36 to 22 percent.

Rispone received 27.4 percent of the vote statewide to earn the right to face Edwards in the Nov. 16 runoff. Abraham came in third with 23.6 percent.