State Politics

U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise has dropped out of the race for House Speaker. Read why he says he did it.

BY CHAD CALDER | Staff writer
Updated 3 hrs ago

U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise withdrew from the race to be the next Speaker of the House on Thursday night, saying the Republican party is still too divided to make a decision.

Steve Scalise drops bid to become next speaker of the House

BY MARK BALLARD | Staff writer
Updated 1 hr ago

Steve Scalise has dropped his bid to become the next Speaker of the United States House of Representatives after a day spent trying unsuccessfully to win over recalcitrant Republicans.

Error leaves family court race off some ballots; parish works to contact voters

By GABBY JIMENEZ | Staff writer
5 hrs ago

A district assignment error led to some East Baton Rouge voters lacking the option to cast ballots in the family court race, said Steve Raborn, the Registrar of Voters for the parish.

Donald Trump tells Fox News that Steve Scalise is too sick to serve as House speaker

BY GORDON RUSSELL and EMILY WOODRUFF | Staff writers
Updated 4 hrs ago

Former President Donald Trump has waded back into the Republican Party's chaotic effort to pick a new House speaker, telling Fox News that he believes Rep. Steve Scalise's recent cancer diagno…

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Steve Scalise is hustling for more votes in quest to become speaker of the House

BY MARK BALLARD | Staff writer
Updated 5 hrs ago

WASHINGTON – The U.S. House of Representatives remained rudderless Thursday as Majority Leader Steve Scalise and his allies scrounged for the Republican votes necessary to complete his electio…

'Big Puden,' 'Rocking Ralph 3x7,' 'Tater' — See Baton Rouge-area candidates' unique nicknames

BY ELLYN COUVILLION | Staff writer
14 hrs ago

Louisiana voters will be picking a governor and other top statewide elected officials on Saturday. But, across the Baton Rouge area, they'll also be voting for local offices like parish presid…

Here's a list of 2023 Louisiana election candidates endorsed by The Times-Picayune

STAFF EDITORIAL
Updated 13 hrs ago

Voters head to the polls Saturday to choose a new Louisiana governor and other elected officials, and to weigh in on important ballot measures.

Who's running for state Legislature in Saturday's primary? Incumbents, city leaders and newcomers

BY LARA NICHOLSON | Staff writer
20 hrs ago

Louisiana’s 2023 election season is nearing its boiling point with Saturday’s primary, with the top job of Louisiana’s governor up for grabs. In East Baton Rouge Parish, several political figu…

Controversial Highland Road developer withdraws ask for tax break

BY LARA NICHOLSON | Staff writer
Oct 11, 2023

What originally was expected to be a heated discussion over whether a Highland Road commercial development should offset its construction costs through an economic development district fizzled…

What constitutional amendments are on Saturday's ballot? Here's a breakdown

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN | Staff writer
Updated Oct 11, 2023

Louisianans are gearing up to decide on Saturday who should lead the state for the next four years.

Mayor announces committee to review, narrow down candidates for Baton Rouge police chief

BY LARA NICHOLSON | Staff writer
Oct 11, 2023

East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome announced the formation of a new committee Wednesday to help review and narrow down the candidates for a Baton Rouge police chief.

Steve Scalise wins GOP nomination for speaker of the U.S. House; challenges remain

BY MARK BALLARD | Staff writer
Updated 4 hrs ago

WASHINGTON — Rep. Steve Scalise spent Wednesday afternoon trying to line up the additional support he needs to become speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives after winning just enough vot…

Two vie for seat of outgoing Louisiana House speaker

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL | Staff writer
Oct 11, 2023

In the old-school ways of south Louisiana politics, Jason Amato and Jeff Wiley met for breakfast a year ago this month as both longtime River Parish politicos were considering a run to replace…

Biden condemns Hamas for 'unadulterated evil' in attack on Israel, vows US resolve in backing Israel

BY AAMER MADHANI, TARA COPP and DARLENE SUPERVILLE | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Oct 10, 2023

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Tuesday condemned the militant group Hamas for “sheer evil” for its shocking multipronged attack on Israel launched from the Gaza Strip that has killed hund…

As push to empty death row hits roadblock, faith leaders urge Gov. Edwards to intervene

BY MATT BRUCE | Staff writer
Oct 10, 2023

Faith leaders and advocates from across Louisiana flocked to the Governor's Mansion on Tuesday morning to urge Gov. John Bel Edwards to order clemency hearings for all Louisiana prisoners faci…

Steve Scalise still lacks backing of Louisiana delegation in bid to be House speaker

BY MARK BALLARD | Staff writer
Updated 4 hrs ago

WASHINGTON – As House Republicans begin deciding who will lead them after an unprecedented power vacuum at the top, most of Louisiana’s delegation has remained mum on whether they’ll back thei…

263 polling places changed for Election Day in Louisiana. Here's where to vote.

BY EMMA DISCHER | Staff writer
Updated Oct 10, 2023

Many Louisiana voters will be heading to different polls on October 14 after 263 polling places changed across the state.

4 candidates for governor at forum discussed health care, tossed barbs, cracked jokes

BY TYLER BRIDGES | Staff writer
Updated Oct 9, 2023

The last of the dozens of candidate forums held before the 2023 gubernatorial primary took place Monday night at Dillard University, and several things held to form.

What was early voting turnout like for the Louisiana governor's race? Here's the data.

By JAMES FINN | Staff writer
Updated Oct 9, 2023

Early voting results in Louisiana’s primary election show much lower turnout than in past years, especially among Black residents and Democrats — a sign of what pollsters call a low-wattage go…

Louisiana coastal projects allowed to offset cost of New Orleans post-Katrina levees

BY MARK SCHLEIFSTEIN | Staff writer
Updated Oct 9, 2023

Louisiana has been allowed by the Army Corps of Engineers to count $110 million spent on two major coastal restoration projects in recent years as credits towards the state’s $1.12 billion sha…

John Schroder backs state Rep. Scott McKnight to succeed him as treasurer

BY SAM KARLIN | Staff writer
Oct 9, 2023

John Schroder has endorsed state Rep. Scott McKnight to succeed him as state Treasurer, providing a boost to the freshman legislator as he battles with another Republican and a Democrat in the race.

In Facebook memes and lawsuits, a Louisiana parish president's race gets personal

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL | Staff writer
Oct 9, 2023

Clint Cointment is trying do Saturday what only one other person has done in the nearly 30-year history of the office of parish president in Ascension — win reelection.

Different years, but contestants the same in battle for Slidell-area legislative seat

BY SARA PAGONES | Staff writer
Oct 9, 2023

The candidates seeking the Louisiana House of Representatives' Slidell-based District 90 seat hardly need to be introduced to each other.

Three seek Baton Rouge area minority judicial seat not open since the early '90s

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL | Staff writer
Oct 9, 2023

In 1993, now retired Judge Alvin Turner Jr. defeated then-Donaldsonville Mayor B.J. Francis in a special election to become the first Black jurist for 23rd Judicial District Court.

As Baton Rouge police grapple with 'BRAVE Cave' fallout, the search for a chief presses on

BY LARA NICHOLSON | Staff writer
Oct 8, 2023

As the Baton Rouge Police Department remains embroiled in controversy over a warehouse facility that has caused an FBI probe, multiple arrests of police officers and fallout with the Metro Cou…

New Orleans saltwater battle could be far pricier than it has to be. Leaky pipes are to blame.

BY MARK SCHLEIFSTEIN | Staff writer
Oct 8, 2023

New Orleans’ decades-long struggle with leaking water mains has emerged as a major reason why the city’s potential battle against saltwater intrusion could be more than five times what Jeffers…

If Steve Scalise becomes speaker of the House, what's in it for Louisiana?

BY MARK BALLARD | Staff writer
Updated 4 hrs ago

WASHINGTON – When Newt Gingrich became speaker of the House in 1995, one group that clearly benefited was the subset of Americans who love the bare-knuckled style of politics that is now the norm.

How would 4 major governor candidates improve the state's education system?

By JAMES FINN | Staff writer
Updated Oct 6, 2023

One of Louisiana’s biggest success stories over the past 15 years came in the classroom: More fourth graders were able to read at grade level.