Louisiana Independent Legislator Elected to Number Two Position in State House
March 29th, 2010On March 29, Louisiana state representative Joel Robideaux was elected Speaker Pro Tempore of the State House. Robideaux is an independent. He defeated Noble Ellington, a Democrat, by a vote of 53-48. Speaker Pro Tempore is the second most powerful position in the Louisiana House, after Speaker. Thanks to Randall Hayes for this news.
March 29th, 2010 at 11:34 pm
Robideaux was elected as an independent in a special election in April 2004. He finished 2nd in the Open Primary with 27% of the vote in a 5-candidate field with 3 Republicans sharing 62% of the vote, and two independents sharing the other 38% of the vote. He won the runoff with 55% of the vote.
In the 2007 general election he was re-elected without opposition.
March 30th, 2010 at 8:23 am
Gee – even independents can win runoff elections.
P.R. and A.V. — NO primaries are needed.
March 30th, 2010 at 9:04 am
#1: “He won the runoff…”
You call the second round of the regular state elections a “general election.” Since special elections are conducted the same way, why do you call the second round a “runoff”?
March 30th, 2010 at 11:04 am
[...] h/t to Richard Winger [...]
March 30th, 2010 at 5:06 pm
#3 “You call the second round of the regular state elections a “general election.†Since special elections are conducted the same way, why do you call the second round a “runoffâ€?”
Probably habit. It would be called a runoff in Texas.
You are correct that in Louisiana the two rounds are called a special primary and special general.
In any case, the independent candidate did win with 55% of the vote.
March 31st, 2010 at 8:42 am
I would argue that, whether the “top two” is used for a special or a regular election, the first round is a general election, and the second round is a runoff general election.
I refuse to call an election consisting of independents and candidates from multiple parties a “primary.” The main difference between the first round of the “top two” and most other general elections is that the field of candidates has not been winnowed by a nominating process.
March 31st, 2010 at 9:17 am
I think it pretty odd to call a special election a general election. Maybe we could simply number them. So that there might be a primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary elections.