Candidate quits amid court claims

The Democrat candidate for District 51 of the Louisiana House of Representatives dropped out of the race late Monday after an onslaught of claims against him and personal family matters became what he described as being more than he can handle at this time.

Warren Triche Jr., 61, of Thibodaux, became the target of a lawsuit late Friday that alleged he was ineligible to run because he is no longer living within the district for which he was seeking office.

While the suit claimed that, due to redistricting, Triche no longer lives in the area where he wanted to challenge incumbent state Rep. Joe Harrison (R-Napoleonville) for the House seat, the one-time state representative of District 55 said Louisiana law supported his running provided he move within the district if he were elected.

Triche also had spent Monday in an area hospital with his elderly mother who was suffering from cardiac failure and a malfunctioning pacemaker.

“I don’t want to use that as an excuse because everybody that pulls out of races uses personal matters as an excuse,” Triche said. “But I am an only child and as such the only caregiver she has. With all this other stuff, I simply don’t have the resources, the money or the energy to fight it.”

A hearing on the lawsuit brought by Dwayne and Tammy Knight of Theriot was scheduled to take place this morning before 32nd District Court Judge Randy Bethancourt. Triche had no personal association with the Knights.

Triche was critical of Harrison and said he would throw his support behind candidate Howard Castay Jr. of Morgan City.

“I am honored to receive Mr. Triche’s support,” Castay, who has no specified party affiliation, said. “However, I am very sorry to hear he has dropped out of the race.”

Castay said he was aware of the lawsuit filed against Triche only because of what he read in local newspapers. “The lawsuit was very mysterious. I find it very hard to believe that a couple from Theriot all of a sudden pops up and decides they have a problem with Warren Triche running.”

“I know I could have beaten Harrison and gotten elected,” Triche said. “But I just don’t have what I need at this time to deal with all this at once.”

Attempts to reach Harrison for comment were unsuccessful.