Business Report
While the Baton Rouge Area Chamber’s political action committee, FuturePAC, won’t be issuing any endorsements for statewide races, the group today laid out its endorsements for local races on the Oct. 24 ballot.
In the Senate District 16 race, FuturePAC is endorsing a challenger to incumbent Sen. Dan Claitor, R-Baton Rouge, giving the nod to Republican Scott McKnight, vice president of business development at BancorpSouth.
FuturePAC is also endorsing a number of current Metro Council members who are seeking seats in the House of Representatives. Democratic Councilwoman Ronnie Edwards got a co-endorsement in the District 29 race along with Democrat Edmond Jordan. Democrats Daniel Banguel and Vereta Lee are also in the race.
The District 29 seat is currently held by Democrat Regina Barrow, who is running for the state Senate District 15 race. FuturePAC is endorsing one of Barrow’s challengers in that race, Democrat Dalton Honoré, who currently represents District 63 in the House.
FuturePAC is also co-endorsing Metro Councilwomen Donna Collins-Lewis and C. Denise Marcelle, both Democrats, who are running for the House District 61 seat. Both got the FuturePAC endorsement the last time they unsuccessfully ran for the slot back in 2011. Democrat Byron Sharper has withdrawn from the race, meaning one of the women will win the race this year.
Republicans Ryan Heck, a Metro Councilman, and Paula Davis received a co-endorsement from FuturePAC in their respective runs for the House District 69 seat. That race also features Democrat Mark Holden.
“The priorities of the candidates FuturePAC is endorsing align with those of the regional business community,” says Stephen Babcock, chair of the FuturePAC board of directors, in a prepared statement.
The primary election takes place on Saturday, Oct. 24, with runoffs to be held on Nov. 21 for races in which a single candidate does not get the majority vote.
FuturePAC also made endorsements today in several other House and Board of Elementary and Secondary Education races. See the full slate of endorsements.