Jindal backs area senator for Senate president

(AP) – Republican Gov.-elect Bobby Jindal said Democratic state Sen. Joel Chaisson has enough votes to be the Senate’s next president, and Jindal said he supports Chaisson for the job.

Chaisson, whose district includes portions of Lafourche Parish, hails from St. Charles Parish.

The announcement last Monday inserts Jindal into the haggling for legislative leadership two months before the Senate will elect its president, though Jindal earlier said he would let the House and Senate choose their own leaders.

The backing of the governor traditionally has been critical to lawmakers trying to cobble together enough votes to become Senate president or House speaker, and Jindal’s support of Chaisson was seen as ending other bids for the position.

But Jindal said he didn’t push for Chaisson, D-Destrehan, to get the job. He said he waited for the Senate to form a consensus around Chaisson and for Chaisson to have enough votes for the post. After Chaisson reached the majority vote needed to win an election for the Senate presidency, Jindal said he was asked by senators to affirm the selection.

“We’re here confirming the Senate’s choice,” Jindal said at the LSU building housing his transition headquarters. “We’re happy to give our support to him as well.”

Jindal said Chaisson was able to pull together support from a bipartisan coalition of senators representing many areas of the state. The governor-elect said senators saw Chaisson as honest and accessible.