[StBernard] House runoff hits final stretch

[Westley Annis]

I know Reed.  He is a good man.  He used to own Abba's on St. Bernard
Highway pre-K. 

Karen 



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House runoff hits final stretch
by The Times-Picayune 
Monday November 05, 2007, 11:22 PM
By Bob Warren St. Bernard bureau 
As the campaign for the 103rd House of Representatives seat enters the final
stretch, the candidates expect the race to take on greater significance with
the state's two biggest political parties. 

Reed Henderson, a Democrat and a commodity trader from Violet, led the
six-candidate primary with 1,376 votes, or 22 percent. Mark Madary, a
Republican from Arabi who is on the St. Bernard Parish Council, followed
with 1,188 votes, or 19 percent. 

"This is a tight race, and it's taken on more significance than I expected
when we first started," Henderson said. "They (Republicans) want more
Republicans in the House." 

Ditto the Democrats, Madary said. 

"The Democrats are going to want to hold this seat; the Republicans also
want it," Madary said. 

Since 1988, the district has been represented by Kenneth Odinet Sr., a
Democrat from Arabi. Odinet could not seek re-election because of term
limits. 

The issues in the Nov. 17 runoff are largely unchanged from the primary:
hurricane recovery; closing the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet and improving
levees; bringing a hospital to the district; improving education; and
toughening ethics laws. 

The diverse, sprawling district includes Arabi, western Chalmette, parts of
eastern New Orleans and the rural communities in St. Bernard from Hopedale
and Delacroix to the east side of the Violet Canal. It includes suburban
neighborhoods, fishing villages and a big slice of New Orleans'
Vietnamese-American community. The district includes 13,447 voters in St.
Bernard Parish and 6,269 in Orleans Parish, according to the secretary of
state's office. 

Representatives receive $16,800 in annual salary, plus a $6,000 annual
expense allowance, as well as per diems and office expenses. 

Third-place finisher Mike Bayham, a Republican who had 18 percent, has lined
up behind Madary. Clay Cosse', another Republican with 18 percent, said last
week that he was undecided, as did Anh "Joseph" Cao, a Democrat who tallied
14 percent. Rob Ruffino, a Democrat who trailed the field in the Oct. 20
primary with 10 percent, did not return phone calls. 

Henderson carried the 15 precincts in St. Bernard Parish by 24 votes over
Madary. He said he was strongest in the precincts in the Violet area. 

Henderson was second in the Orleans Parish precincts behind Cao, the lone
candidate from New Orleans. Henderson tallied 226 votes in Orleans Parish to
Madary's 62 votes. Cao took 796 votes in the Orleans precincts. 

The Orleans Parish precincts are majority Democrat. But turnout in the
primary was 22 percent -- 1,401 votes -- and could be lower in the runoff,
which does not feature a gubernatorial race. 

Henderson said his platform in the runoff mirrors that of the primary: that
residents won't return if they are worried about crime. "Safety is the big
issue," he said. 

During the primary Henderson also said he would push to eliminate state
income tax on $50,000 of a person's income. That money, he said, could be
spent in the community, spurring the economy. 

Madary said his analysis of the votes show he ran strongest in the Arabi and
Chalmette areas. Cosse' and Bayham also ran strong in those areas, he said,
and he hopes to pick up some of their votes. Madary acknowledged he has some
ground to make up in the Violet area and New Orleans, "where I fared
miserably." 

Madary has touted his civic and government experience. "I've worked with
Gov.-elect (Bobby) Jindal already," he said. 

"The issues are simple: Which one of us will do a better job of representing
the district?" he said. "I'm a fighter." 

Campaign finance reports filed with the state 10 days before the Oct. 20
primary show Henderson had spent $5,941. He said he expects to spend about
$10,000 total. 

The 10-day-prior reports show Madary had spent $19,808. He said he expects
to spend about $50,000 by the end of the runoff. 

Meanwhile, as the campaign reaches its final weeks, Henderson hopes it
doesn't turn muddy. 

"We need to be above dirty politics. Republican, Democrat: We're all
Louisianans," he said. 

Madary agreed, saying any dirt slung won't be from him. 

"I don't want to belittle somebody to make myself look better," he said.
"I'd prefer to just talk positive about myself." 

Bob Warren can be reached at bwarren at timespicayune.com or (504) 826-3363.