Caldwell wins La. AG race

(AP) – Democrat James “Buddy” Caldwell won the Louisiana attorney general’s race on Saturday, easily beating a Republican to succeed incumbent Charles Foti.

Caldwell beat Royal Alexander 67 percent to 33 percent, according to returns from all precincts.

He pledged to transform an office that has been battered by criticism stemming from post-hurricane criminal investigations that led to Foti’s ouster in the Oct. 20 primary.

“Everything that’s being done in there, I’m going to do differently,” Caldwell said.

Caldwell claimed victory at a Baton Rouge hotel, thanking his wife and a throng of supporters. He attributed the win to his decades of experience with the law.

The Tulane University Law School grad also took a final swipe at Alexander, an attorney 20 years Caldwell’s junior whom Caldwell considered too green for the office.

“You need to be able to delegate authority (as attorney general), but you also absolutely need to know what you’re doing. I think the people were smart enough to pick up on that,” Caldwell said.

Alexander – a first-time political candidate – held leads only in his home Caddo Parish and neighboring Bossier Parish, according to the unofficial returns.

He conceded at a Shreveport hotel, telling supporters he was glad he entered the race.

“I wouldn’t trade … the way that I feel about our state because it is worth fighting for, and that’s why I pledged to do this in the first place,” Alexander said.

Caldwell wins La. AG race