2015 Elections: Candidate Guide
Saturday, Oct. 24 is Election Day. Do your part. Be informed. Go vote.
As a nonprofit, LAPCS cannot make endorsements of candidates or tell our membership how to vote. We can however, pass along information on the candidates. Please see below for the list of all candidates running for Governor and for the Louisiana Board of Elementary & Secondary Education (BESE), with links to candidate websites where you can find information on their positions.
Governor
SCOTT ANGELLE
Endorsements: Baton Rouge Business Report
More Info: http://www.geauxangelle.com
JAY DARDENNE
Endorsements: The Advertiser; Alliance for Good Government; The Gambit
More info: http://www.jaydardenne.com/
JOHN BEL EDWARDS
Endorsements: Louisiana AFL-CIO; Louisiana Association of Educators/Louisiana Federation of Teachers; Louisiana Democratic Party
More Info: http://www.johnbelforlouisiana.com
DAVID VITTER
Endorsements: The Times Picayune|NOLA.com
More Info: http://www.davidvitter.com
BESE District 1
LEE BARRIOS
Occupation: Retired gifted and talented teacher, St. Tammany Parish
Endorsements: Flip BESE; Louisiana Association of Educators/Louisiana Federation of Teachers; Greater New Orleans AFL-CIO
More Info: http://electleebarrios.blogspot.com/
JAMES GARVEY (Incumbent)
Occupation: Business Attorney
Endorsements: Alliance for Good Government; The Times Picayune|NOLA.com; The Gambit; Louisiana Association of Business and Industry; Stand For Children Louisiana
More Info: http://www.garveyforbese.com/
BESE District 2
KIRA ORANGE JONES (Incumbent)
Occupation: Executive Director, Teach for America – Greater New Orleans; former 4th grade teacher
Endorsements: Alliance for Good Government;The Times Picayune|NOLA.com; The Gambit; Louisiana Association of Business and Industry; Stand For Children Louisiana
More Info: kiraorangejones.com
KARA WASHINGTON
Occupation: Assistant Principal, St. Rose, St. Charles Parish
Endorsements: Flip BESE; Louisiana Association of Educators/Louisiana Federation of Teachers
More Info: Facebook
BESE District 3
LOTTIE BEEBE (Incumbent)
Occupation: Superintendent, St. Martin Parish
Endorsements: Flip BESE; Louisiana Association of Educators/Louisiana Federation of Teachers
More Info: http://www.beebeforbese.com/
SANDY HOLLOWAY
Occupation: Executive Director, Bayou Community Academy; public school teacher and administrator, LaFourche Parish.
Endorsements: Stand For Children Louisiana; FuturePAC; Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
More Info: http://www.hollowayforbese.com
BESE District 4
TONY DAVIS
Occupation: Pres/CEO, Natchitoches Area Chamber of Commerce
Endorsements: Stand for Children Lousiana; Louisiana Association of Business and Industry; Natchitoches Parish Journal
More Info: http://www.tonydavisforbese.com/
MARY JOHNSON HARRIS (Incumbent – replaced Walter Lee)
Occupation: Principal, South Highland Elementary Magnet School, Shreveport, LA
Endorsements: Flip BESE; Louisiana Association of Educators/Louisiana Federation of Teachers; Republican Party of Louisiana
More info: http://www.harrisforbese4.com/
GLYNIS JOHNSTON
Occupation: 3rd grade teacher, Caddo Parish
Endorsements: Louisiana Association of Educators/Louisiana Federation of Teachers; GatorPAC
More Info: https://www.voteforme.com/glynisjohnstonforbese4
BESE District 5
JOHNNY FATHEREE
Occupation: Retired, agriculture business
Endorsements: Flip BESE; Louisiana Association of Educators/Louisiana Federation of Teachers
More information: http://fathereeforbese5.blogspot.com/
GARY JONES
Occupation: Retired, brigadier general and longtime educator including former superintendent.
Endorsements: Stand for Children Louisiana; Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
More Info: http://www.jonesforbese.com/
BESE District 6
KATHY EDMONSTON
Occupation: Worked in Ascension Parish Schools since 1994 as a liaison between families and schools regarding special needs.
Endorsements: Louisiana Association of Educators/Louisiana Federation of Teachers; GatorPAC; Republican Party of East Baton Rouge Parish
More Info: http://www.kathyforbese.com
JASON ENGEN
Occupation: Department Manager; in charge of Client Development for Southern Earth Sciences, Inc., a geotechnical engineering and construction materials testing firm.
Endorsements: Chas Roemer, outgoing BESE member; Baton Rouge Business Report; Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
More Info: http://www.jasonengen4bese.com/
JASON FRANCE
Occupation: Education blogger (Crazy Crawfish) and former Louisiana Department of Education employee
Endorsements: Flip BESE; Louisiana Association of Educators/Louisiana Federation of Teachers; Diane Ravitch
More Info: http://www.jasonfrance4la.com/
ETTA S. LICCIARDI
Occupation: Retired school board member & educator
Endorsements: Louisiana Association of Educators/Louisiana Federation of Teachers
More Info: http://www.ettabese6.com/
LAREE TAYLOR
Occupation: Middle school principal in West Baton Rouge Parish; former administrator teacher in West Feliciana, East Baton Rouge
Endorsements: Baton Rouge Business Report; Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
More Info: http://www.lareetaylorforbese.com/
BESE District 7
HOLLY BOFFY (Incumbent)
Occupation: Program Director of Teacher & Leader Development for the Council for Chief State School Officers; former middle school teacher.
Endorsements: Stand for Children Louisiana; Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
More Info: http://www.hollyboffy.com/
MIKE KREAMER
Occupation: Educator
Endorsements: Flip BESE; Louisiana Association of Educators/Louisiana Federation of Teachers; Lafayette Parish Association of Educators
More Info: http://www.yourvoiceinbese7.com/
BESE District 8
CAROLYN HILL (Incumbent)
Occupation: Social Worker
Endorsements: Flip BESE; Louisiana Association of Educators/Louisiana Federation of Teachers; EBR Democrats
More info: http://www.hill4us.com/
JADA LEWIS
Occupation: Assistant Dean, LSU College of Engineering
Endorsements: Stand for Children Louisiana; Baton Rouge Business Report; Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
More Info: http://jadalewisbese8.com/