Larpenter: Low voter turnout, apathy led to loss

For the first time in 20 years, come July 2008, Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Jerry Larpenter will no longer be a public servant.

Vernon Bourgeois set to be sworn in as sheriff next year, the seat Larpenter has held since the 1980s.

Larpenter, back from a post-election fishing trip, said Michel Claudet “ran a good campaign” for parish president. The sheriff attributed his loss in the Nov. 17 runoff election mainly to low turnout and voter indifference.

“That’s the way elections go,” Larpenter said. “I ran a good campaign. I offered myself. We ran a good show.”

“I had a vision,” he said. “I have no regrets. I’ve been blessed being sheriff for 20 years. I wish him well. My hat’s off to him.”

Larpenter said only one-third of eligible voters cast ballots on Nov. 17, calling the low turnout “sad.” Total votes cast for parish president was 21,973. Larpenter received fewer votes in the runoff than he did in the five-man Oct. 20 primary.

Claudet’s victory is “not a big mandate,” he said. “The parish is going through good times. The electorate doesn’t care about politics.”

“There’s two percent unemployment,” he said. “Politics is not the first order on people’s minds.”

Larpenter also attributed his loss to a misperception among parish employees that, if elected, he would be heavy-handed.

“Some people thought I would be getting too much power,” he said. “With parish government employees, there was innuendo that I would fire everybody.”

He said he is content with what he accomplished as Terrebonne Parish sheriff, particularly with the way he treated his staff.

“The new sheriff has things in place,” Larpenter explained. “I’ve done good for the people of the parish. This country boy got elected to six terms.”

“It doesn’t matter if you have degrees behind your name,” he said. “I’m proud of my record. I leave with my head high.”

However, as he had done during the campaign, Larpenter criticized Claudet for owning businesses that operate video poker machines, claiming the gambling issue will present problems for the new parish president. Larpenter also warned about Claudet’s political inexperience.

“There are some things people need to watch out for in the next four years,” he said. “People need to watch his (Claudet’s) private interests.”

Larpenter said he was advising against “anybody using parish government to enrich themselves. People need to commit themselves to government, not to themselves.”

Following his election, Claudet said, “I will be a full-time parish president. I wouldn’t run if I thought I couldn’t devote my full efforts to parish government.” Claudet also appointed his brother to manage his business operations while he is in office.

“This guy (Claudet) has special interests,” he said. “Watch how it unfolds in the next four years. He’s letting his brother run his business. If you think he’ll let his brother make decisions on business, then what kind of fools are we?”

Larpenter spelled out the difference between the private and public sectors.

“It’s a different world running business and running people,” Larpenter said. “He’s got a rude awakening with what government’s all about.”

With government, he said, “It’s not what you did for me yesterday, it’s what have you done for me today. Welcome to the real world. I hope he can use his work ethic in parish government,” referring to Claudet’s assertion during the campaign that he likes to work.

While he has aimed criticism at Claudet directly both during the campaign and post-election, Larpenter said Claudet has criticized him in return.

“He called me a politician,” Larpenter said.

“Politician – it’s a good term,” he said. “I don’t have a problem with that. He’s using ‘politician’ like it’s a dirty word. I consider it a good thing.”

“My opponent spent $300,000 on the campaign,” he said. “The question was never asked, If you win, will you have fund-raisers? He threw away his money for a $75,000 a year job.”

The sheriff expressed uncertainty about whether he will run for public office again.

“I’ve got a great family and a lot of friends,” he said. “I’ll spend time with my grandbaby.”

But Larpenter is cautious about Terrebonne Parish’s future, expressing concern over what he sees as the parish’s aging infrastructure.

“It will take a monumental effort to get caught up,” Larpenter said. “This parish has been neglected for years.”