Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

Place Covered: Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1979-11-23

Duration: 00:29:01

Subjects: Filmed panel discussions | Journalists | Elections, 1979 | Louisiana gubernatorial election, 1979 | Treen, David C., 1928-2009 | LAMBERT, LOUIS | MOUTON, EDGAR G. "SONNY" | Henry, E. L. "Bubba" | Hardy, Paul, 1942- | Fitzmorris, James E. (James Edward), 1921- | Political endorsements | LAWSUITS | Electoral fraud | RIGHT TO WORK | Louisiana Association of Business and Industry | Edwards, Edwin W. | Political campaigns | Voter turnout | Politics | Campaign Finance

Contributors:

• Blome, Ron Host
• Fourrier, Clay Photographer
• Irving, John Photographer
• L'Herisson, Sandra Photographer
• Godoy, Al Photographer
• Blome, Ron Reporter
• Blome, Ron Editor
• Gates, Bob Producer
• George, Beth Producer
• Fuglaar, Bill Director
• Even, Dan Panelist
• Lynch, Bill Panelist
• Maginnis, John Panelist

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from November 23, 1979, features Ron Blome leading a panel discussion with three capitol reporters: Dan Even of the Associated Press; John Maginnis of the Baton Rouge Enterprise; and Bill Lynch of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.  They discuss the 1979 gubernatorial election and the two run-off candidates, Congressman Dave Treen and Public Service Commission Chairman Louis Lambert, including: why Treen, a Republican, received endorsements from the four defeated primary candidates, all Democrats – Speaker of the House Bubba Henry, State Senator Sonny Mouton, Secretary of State Paul Hardy, and Lieutenant Governor Jimmy Fitzmorris – over Lambert, a Democrat; the lawsuit filed by Fitzmorris, where he alleged voting irregularities in the primary election, and its effect on the Lambert campaign; Lambert alleging that Treen received endorsements from Henry and Mouton in exchange for payment of their campaign debt; voter turn-out for the general election; the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI) endorsement of Treen; right to work as a dividing line issue between the two candidates; the Treen campaign; the possibility of Governor Edwin Edwards endorsing either candidate; the press conferences held during the campaign; and their predictions for the general election.