October 22
October 22, 2007
Richard Weaver
October 24, 2007(AP) Agriculture Commissioner Bob Odom was forced into a runoff election with state Rep. Mike Strain on Saturday, the first time Odom hasn’t won a primary since he first won the post in 1979.
With 90 percent of the 3,967 precincts reporting, Democrat Odom led Strain, a St. Tammany Parish Republican, 42 percent to 40 percent in a four-candidate race, well below the 50 percent barrier needed to win outright.
Wayne Carter, a Republican on East Baton Rouge Parish’s governing council, had 12 percent and north Louisiana farmer Don Johnson, also a Republican, had 6 percent.
Odom fought the perception in the campaign that he mismanaged his agency – an idea also put forth by Carter and Strain, a state House member.
Both men ran television and radio ads statewide, saying the office needed reform.
Odom said he was looking forward to the November runoff.
“We’re ready to start running for that runoff,” he said.
Odom said he was optimistic, even though his three Republican challengers combined for 58 percent of the vote on Saturday.
The incumbent predicted that the GOP turnout will be light for the Nov. 17 runoff partly because Republican Bobby Jindal will not be on the ballot after winning the governor’s office outright in the primary.
“I don’t believe you’ll get a lot of Republicans come out to vote in the second primary, because you won’t have a governor’s race,” Odom said.
