Louisiana State Senator Danny Martiny is a Republican, right? I mean, his legislative page states he is, but when I look at his voting record, I really can’t tell. Maybe he thinks he’s a Republican in Maine or Massachusetts?
Sure, as Scott McKay informed us Monday, Sen. Martiny authored and carried the important LPA bill, SB 76, which recently passed the Senate, and he should be given credit for that. This legislation seeks to ban union-friendly Project Labor Agreements in state contracts. SB 76 passed the Senate 27-4, with most Democrats voting for it. This means either Martiny is one heck of a legislator, or in this conservative, anti-union climate in Louisiana, one of the Democrats who voted for the bill could have authored and carried it as well.
The fact is that Senator Danny Martiny’s voting record should make conservative Republicans eager to present a re-election challenge from the Right.
– Voting FOR a triple pay raise in, effective immediately while Louisiana taxpayers had to wait a year for their income tax relief? Check.
– Voting twice FOR an unconstitutional $118 state income tax increase? Check. Check.
– Authoring legislation in an attempt to add more exemption to Louisiana open-records laws? Check.
– Authoring and pushing legislation granting early parole to even violent criminals, some convicted of Capitol Crimes, in 2010 and this year? Check. Check.
And just yesterday, on a bill by Sen. Neal Riser, SB 108, to dictate that local tax proposals must be put on higher-turnout, state-wide elections, Senator Danny Martiny was one of only 3 Republicans to vote NO. One of those other Republicans, Norby Chabert, being a recent convert to the GOP who supported Barack Obama for President in 2008. Sen. Chabert’s district is more Democrat-leaning than that of Martiny.
In fact, due to redistricting, Senator Martiny’s Senate District for this Fall will be even more Republican-leaning. In Acadia Parish, current District 42 State Rep. Jack Montoucet will be receiving a staunch challenge from the conservative side, but even his pro-tax increase, anti-reform record is not as bad as Danny Martiny’s. At least Rep. Montoucet wants to keep dangerous, violent criminals locked up, and he did not vote himself a large pay raise.
All this leads one to ask, is there a better Republican in that part of Jefferson Parish who can challenge Danny Martiny this Fall? The voting record is there in plain view, in conservative Louisiana, to hold up Sen. Martiny as a tax and spend, soft on violent crime liberal.
Nick Bouterie
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