Running mates in 2019, still in cahoots four years later.
No Ascension Council candidate has more skin in the game than Todd Varnado, as he attempts to slay the dragon (or the oldest council hog at the trough) in a largely self-funded campaign to oust five-term incumbent, Dempsey Lambert. An old dog incapable of changing his spots (to mix a metaphor), putting this mutt down is no easy feat since Lambert can always bank on support from the usual suspects. Varnado is self-reliant, no-nonsense and as determined as any challenger we have encountered.
District 5 Council candidate Todd Varnado
Varnado has received five contributions, a maximum amount from his grandmother and $50 from a District 5 resident, along with three from committees to recall Lambert and two of his council colleagues.
- Committee to Recall Dempsey Lambert-$919.01
- Committee to Recall John Cagnolatti-$634.65
- Committee to Recall Corey Orgeron-$100.00
It was curious when Lambert took no reportable campaign contributions in time for the requisite filing (“30 days prior”) to the October 14 election. That is likely due to his stab at litigating his way to a sixth term. But Lambert hired a delusional private detective (Murphy Painter is on the ballot for Parish President again) to birddog Varnado. Painter fumbled his way through a cringe-worthy testimonial embarrassment, mercifully concluding when Judge Steven Tureau warned him that a contempt citation would result if he did not gather his wits about him.
Court rules Varnado is a candidate, dismissing Lambert’s lawsuit
To the surprise of no one, Lambert engaged the services of “Shoeless” (rhymes with Clueless) Kim Landry to bungle her way through the court proceeding. Oops. Time to scramble the troops.
And Dempsey Lambert knew who to call upon.
Every other candidate, incumbents and challengers, we know of has declined cash from Home Builders PAC of Greater Baton Rouge. Many of them would not even fill out the PAC’s questionnaire. Even without Jared “Burger” Beiriger on board, Quality Engineering and Landco Construction Company are a toxic dump on the local government landscape.
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- Murphy with “Burger”
Taking cash from Deric Murphy and James Moore should come with a heavy political price. Or maybe the voters of District 5 still want Dempsey Lambert after two decades of the same old, same old. Judging by the sharp downturn in early voting, those voters could very well have forgotten that they were upset with Councilman Lambert just a few short years ago.
A veteran of five successful elections, Lambert is no easy out.
If Todd Varnado fails at the task, the folks in District 5 are stuck with the oldest hog at Ascension’s trough no matter Varnado’s extraordinary efforts toward a slaughter.
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