Central Gives 86% to Romney, 73% to Walker

CENTRAL — Despite a narrow loss nationwide, Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney swept to victory in Louisiana with 57.8 percent of the vote to President Barack Obama’s 40.6 percent:

Louisiana

Mitt Romney (R) 1,152,788

Barack Obama (D) 808,611

Meanwhile, East Baton Rouge Parish continued to move into the liberal Democratic camp.  Obama received 51.8 percent of the popular vote in parish, while Mitt Romney received only 46.6 percent.  Parishwide, the results were:

East Baton Rouge Parish

Mitt Romney (R) 92,235

Barack Obama (D) 102,460

However, the City of Central defied the parishwide results, and Romney’s victory here was even more dramatic than the statewide totals.  In Central, Romney carried every precinct and racked up 86 percent of the vote and a 10,000-vote majority:

City of Central

Mitt Romney (R) 11,735

Barack Obama (D) 1,763

In the race for Mayor-President of East Baton Rouge Parish, incumbent Kip Holden, a Democrat, was easily reelected to a third four-year term, despite an intense, year-long campaign by Mayor Pro-Tem Mike Walker, the Republican nominee.  In Central, Walker won a landslide victory, defeating Holden by 6,700 votes, but this was offset by votes in the inner city:

Mayor-President

City of Central only

Mike Walker (R) 9,779

Kip Holden (D) 3,003

Steve Myers (N) 258

Gordon Mese (N) 247

In parishwide results, Holden had an overwhelming majority:

Mayor-President

East Baton Rouge Parish

Kip Holden (D) 115,303

Mike Walker (R) 65,970

Gordon Mese (N) 6,585

Steve Myers (N) 4,256

Holden received 60 percent of the vote parishwide, while Walker received 34.3 percent, independent Gordon Mese received 3.4 percent, and independent Steve Myers received 2.2 percent.

Walker said Wednesday he will continue to be involved in the political process.  He is a member of the Metro Council and Mayor Pro Tem until January 2013.  One of his most important roles during that period will be the review of the Mayor-President’s proposed budget, which is nearly $800 million next year.

In the race for a vacancy on the Louisiana Supreme Court, Central played an important role in Tuesday’s election and could play an even bigger role in the runoff election scheduled for Dec. 8.

The vacancy occurred because of the impending resignation of Chief Justice Kitty Kimball, a Democrat.  Eight candidates sought the seat on the Supreme Court Tuesday, including six sitting district and court of appeal judges.  Leading the field was Judge John Michael Guidry, a Democrat who received 27.5 percent, and Judge Jeff Hughes, a Republican who won 21.2 percent.  Both currently serve on the Louisiana Court of Appeal.  Here are the results:

Louisiana Supreme Court

5th Supreme Court District

John Guidry (D) 93,117

Jeff Hughes (R) 71,910

Mary Olive Pierson (D) 49,990

Duke Welch (R) 37,520

Toni Higginbotham (R) 36,663

Bill Morvant (R) 36,117

Tim Kelley (R) 10,395

Jerry Sanford (N) 3,256

Together, the two Democrats, Guidry and Pierson, received 42.2 percent of the vote.  Hughes is a slight favorite in the runoff.

Chief Justice Kimball is considered a liberal on the court, and the election of Hughes could shift the balance of power on the court to the conservatives by a 4-3 margin.

Judge Hughes ran first in Central, and Judge Duke Welch ran second.  The results for the Supreme Court race were as follows:

Louisiana Supreme Court

City of Central only

Jeff Hughes (R) 3,567

Duke Welch (R) 2,867

Toni Higginbotham (R) 2,633

Bill Morvant (R) 1,464

Mary Pierson (D) 1,090

John Guidry (D) 882

Tim Kelley (R) 712

Jerry Sanford (N) 76

Hughes said Wednesday that a strong showing in the Dec. 8 runoff is essential if he is to be victorious.  He said he was very grateful for the first place vote he received in Central Tuesday.

In another important race, Court of Appeal Judge Mike McDonald received a very strong vote in Central but narrowly missed winning outright and will face a Dec. 8 runoff against civil rights attorney Gideon Carter III.

The districtwide results for Court of Appeal were

Louisiana Court of Appeal

Districtwide Results

Mike McDonald (R) 74,504

Gideon Carter (D) 47,512

Trudy White (R) 30,797

McDonald received 48.8 percent districtwide, Carter 31.1 percent, and Judge Trudy White 20 percent.

In Central, the results were:

Louisiana Court of Appeal

City of Central only

Mike McDonald (R) 9,254

Trudy White (R) 2,123

Gideon Carter (D) 1,323

In Central, Judge McDonald received 72.7 percent, Judge White 17 percent, and attorney Carter 10.4 percent.

On Dec. 8, the election ballot in Central will include only two races:

• Louisiana Supreme Court

• Louisiana Court of Appeal