Republicans to Vote on Party Committees

CENTRAL — On Saturday, Louisiana Republicans will go to the polls to decide between conservative Rick Santorum and more moderate Mitt Romney for the Republican Presidential nomination.  At the same time, Republican voters in East Baton Rouge Parish will help decide the philosophical direction of the Republican Party at the state and local levels.  The battle is unknown to most voters, but it is real and will take place on Saturday.

Registered Republicans will vote for members of the Republican State Central Committee and the 17-member East Baton Rouge Republican Parish Executive Committee (five at-large and one from each Metro Council district).

The state central committee has been in conservative hands for at least the past 12 years, and that is not likely to change Saturday.  If anything, the Christian, conservative majority on the Republican State Central Committee is likely to increase. State Republican Chairman Roger Villere of New Orleans is the leader of the conservative group.

The real battle will be for control of the East Baton Rouge Republican Parish Executive Committee.

Over the years, the Republican Party in Baton Rouge has often been controlled by moderates.

For example, East Baton Rouge Parish Republican Chairman John Price recently resigned to become Assistant Chief Administrative Officer under Democratic Mayor-President Kip Holden.

Although Price resigned as Parish Party Chairman, he is running for reelection to the Republican State Central Committee and also to the Republican Parish Executive Committee from South Baton Rouge.

Conservatives filed a full slate of candidates for the Parish Executive Committee and appear likely to win a majority.

Here in Central, Jr. Shelton and Billy Thompson are running for the Parish Executive Committee from Metro Council District 4.  Shelton is part of the conservative slate, which is attempting to get a conservative majority on the PEC.

In the race for Republican State Central Committee from District 65-B, Brennan Easley and Billy Thompson are seeking the seat.

Easley is affiliated with the conservative slate that currently has a majority in the state party.

Republican voters parishwide will elect five at-large members of the Republican Parish Executive Committee.  Seven candidates are seeking the five seats.

The parishwide conservative slate includes Elizabeth Dent, Tommy French, Woody Jenkins, Dan Kyle, and Judge Darrell White.  The other two candidates, Ken McMillan and Willie Lewis, were not part of the original conservative slate but have been added to it.