Voters in Jefferson Parish have elected members to four school board seats up for consideration. Three other seats will go to a runoff election on Dec. 8. In the four decided races, candidates backed by the business community won out over longtime educators or candidates backed by the teacher's union.
In recent years, the Jefferson Parish teachers' union and the Jefferson Parish Chamber of Commerce have been at odds over the direction of the school board, and have been throwing their weight behind their perferred candidates. This year both groups backed the same candidate in several districts. But in races where they were at odds, business-backed candidates beat out union-backed candidates or longtime educators.
District 1
Voters re-elected incumbent and school board president Mark Morgan (I) over challenger and longtime educator Gerard LeBlanc (R). Morgan had the endorsement of both the Jefferson Parish Chamber and the teachers' union.
District 2
This one is going to a runoff. Incumbent Ricky Johnson, Sr. (D) is defending his seat against four challengers. Johnson got the largest share of the vote, with 43 percent. He has the endorsement of the Jefferson Federation of Teachers, the teachers’ union. Eddie Boudreaux, Jr. (R) had the next greatest share, with 23 percent. Boudreaux describes himself as a Navy veteran, Libertarian and fiscal conservative. Boudreaux has the endorsement of the Jefferson Parish GOP. Democrat and former business owner April Williams had the next greatest share of the vote, with 21 percent. She’s endorsed by the Jefferson Parish Chamber of Commerce PAC.
District 3
Headed to a runoff. Incumbent Tiffany Kuhn (R) won the largest share of the vote, with 45 percent. Her challengers Tulane student Stefan Sauzo (I) and retired school principal Mark Terrebonne (R) each took 27 percent.
District 4
Clay Moise (R) beat out longtime educator Glenn Mayeaux (R). Moise had the backing of the Jefferson Parish Chamber of Commerce PAC, which has been active in weighing in on the school board races in recent years. Mayeaux was endorsed by the Jefferson Federation of Teachers.
District 5
There will be a runoff. Incumbent, and union-backed Cedric Floyd (D) is defending his seat against challengers Simeon Dickerson (D) and Dee Dunn (D). Floyd took 43 percent of the vote. Dickerson, who is backed by the Jefferson Chamber, took 37 percent. Dunn took 20 percent.
District 8
Challenger Chad Nugent (R) beat out incumbent and longtime educator Marion Bonura (R) by a wide margin. Nugent, a financial planner, had the backing of the Jefferson Chamber, while Bonura was backed by the teachers’ union.
District 9
Incumbent and Jefferson Chamber-backed Sandy Denapolis-Bosarge (R) kept her seat against a challenge from elementary school principal Colleen Winkler (R).
