By HARRIET PROTHRO PENROD
Eight out of 10 of the qualifying candidates running for Shreveport mayor took part in Sunday’s mayoral forum held at the LSUS University Center auditorium. The forum was hosted by People Acting for Change and Equality (PACE) and dedicated to issues of particular interest to the LGBTQ+ community.
The way this election has been going, it looked like incumbent Mayor Adrian Perkins could be one of the people missing from the stage. On August 2, Perkins was disqualified from the 2022 elections by Judge Brady O’Callaghan of the First District Court of Louisiana for inaccurately listing his address on qualifying documents. That decision was upheld by the Louisiana Second Circuit Court of Appeal on August 8.
This past Friday, however, the Louisiana Supreme Court reinstated Perkins into the elections. Scott Bickford, Perkins’ attorney, argued successfully before the court’s judges last Tuesday that the Louisiana legislature left room in their rules for candidates to falsify some information on qualifying forms.
In its decision, the state Supreme Court wrote: “Nothing is more fundamental and sacred to our system of democracy than the ability of citizens to choose their leaders.”
As it turned out, the two missing candidates in Sunday’s forum were Louisiana state Sen. Greg Tarver and Darryl Ware II, both Democrats.
If history repeats itself, that doesn’t bode well for the missing candidates since the candidate elected mayor in each of the last four elections has participated in the PACE forum.
The other candidates joining Perkins (Democrat) in the forum were local attorney and former Shreveport City Councilman Tom Arceneaux (Republican), District 10 Caddo Parish Commissioner Mario Chavez (Independent), Shreveport City Councilwoman LeVette Fuller (Democrat), Tracy Mendels (Democrat), Melvin Slack (Republican), Julius Romano (Independent), and Lauren Ray Anderson (Libertarian).
When asked if he thought he might not get the opportunity to run for re-election, Perkins said, “It crossed my mind multiple times during the litigation process. But never throughout the process did I doubt that justice would be served.”
Neither Arceneaux nor Fuller were surprised with the state Supreme Court’s decision.
“As an attorney, I try not to be surprised,” said Arceneaux. “I knew there was a split in the circuits.”
Chavez had a different take on the outcome.
“From a legal standpoint, yes, I was surprised,” he said. “But no, not really, because it’s who you know.”
Sunday’s forum, which included two-minute introductions by each candidate, a Q&A session, and 90-second closing statements by each candidate, drew a crowd of approximately 100 people. Questions included issues regarding hiring LGBTQ+ liaisons in both the executive office and the police department, health care for LGBTQ+ city employees, same-sex marriage, and the protection of trans citizens.
Most of the candidates were pleased with both the turnout and the questions, although they wished there was more time to explain their answers.
“I’m ready for the group to be whittled down some so we have more time,” said Mendels.
The primary elections will be held Nov. 8 while the general elections will take place Dec. 10.
Contact Harriet at sbjharriet@gmail.com
Photo by JOHN PENROD