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<p>BATON ROUGE - Public Service Commission Chairman Jay Blossman dropped out of the Louisiana gubernatorial race Friday and endorsed state Rep. Hunt Downer in a Republican shake-up.</p> <p>Blossman, who had been sinking steadily in the polls, was down to 2 percent in tracking polling Thursday night.</p>

<p>BATON ROUGE -- Voters do not appear to be very excited about any candidate as Louisiana's gubernatorial campaigns head into the final two weeks, a pollster says.</p> <p>One possible reason: When Verne Kennedy of Pensacola, Fla., asked 600 voters in a poll Sept. 3-6 about their feelings about Louisiana, 45 percent said the state is on the wrong track and things are getting worse. And fewer -- 38 percent -- believe Louisiana is moving in the right direction and things are getting better.</p>

<p>Only five of seven major candidates for Louisiana governor are eligible so far to participate in a statewide televised debate sponsored by the League of Women Voters later this month.</p> <p>Among other qualifications, the league is requiring candidates show support from at least 8 percent of the voters in public opinion polls.</p>

Democrats Attack Blossman Blossman Sticks to his Guns "Cleo's Bus… Waste of Money" "I am not a racist, but Cleo Fields is," responded Jay Blossman, the conservative candidate for Governor. Blossman expanded by saying, "Cleo is the one demanding special treatment andfunding through the Urban Slush funds, only because of the color of his skin. Because of Cleo, reverse discrimination is alive and well in our Louisiana government." "I believe that race should have no part in our government today," continued Blossman."That is why I have proposed a Racial Privacy Initiative. It would end affirmative action, eliminate minority quotas and...

<p>Do you favor allowing the Louisiana Legislature to control the Minimum Foundation Program for funding public education rather than leaving control with the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education?</p> <p>Kathleen Blanco: I prefer the Minimum Foundation Program. It's what has protected education through the years. The BESE board has the whole picture.</p>

Blossman/Holloway Unveil Economic Development Chapter to "Road Map To Reform" Conservative Ticket Pledges Tax Cuts for Businesses and Individuals Public Service Commissioner Jay Blossman (R-Mandeville) and his running mate, former Congressman Clyde Holloway (R-Forest Hill) announced today the next chapter to the Blossman "Roadmap to Reform," promising to make Louisiana a Tax Free Zone for Business and signing a strengthened version of the Americans for Tax Reform's Taxpayer Protection Pledge. "We are promising the people of this state that we will not only oppose all tax increases, but will also actively work to cut taxes on the businesses and working...

<p>BATON ROUGE - Jay Blossman presents himself as "the guy who represents change" in the race for Louisiana governor.</p> <p>But when the 38-year-old Republican recently showed up at the state Capitol dressed in a white linen suit to officially throw his hat into the ring, he looked more like some of the state's illustrious old-time politicians.</p>

<p>Gubernatorial candidates talk education, economic development Hopefuls also discussed how to keep youth from leaving state.</p> <p>BATON ROUGE - In a gubernatorial forum that was billed as a debate but seemed more like a well-mannered conversation, all the candidates agreed state spending on schools was good, prisons for youth are bad and preschool education was superlative.</p>

<p>Gubernatorial campaigning begins in earnest John Hill Posted on August 24, 2003 BATON ROUGE - Official qualifying last week unofficially kicked off the campaigns for governor as candidates hit the airwaves to build support in the few weeks before the Oct. 4 primary.</p>

Blossman/Holloway 2003 A Ticket to Conservative Reform Baton Rouge - "This ticket is a path to conservative reforms," Jay Blossman, the conservative candidate for Governor stated proudly. PSC Chairman Blossman and Former Congressman Clyde Holloway announced today their partnership on a "political ticket" for Louisiana's two top posts, Governor and Lt. Governor. This unique arrangement is the first time Louisiana voters will be presented with a two-tier ticket in nearly half a century. "I'm running for Governor because we've got to challenge the political establishment and start to do things differently," continued Blossman. "This political ticket is different!" A favorite...

Blossman Blasts Democrats on Affirmative Action "I will choose the best people--regardless of race" Public Service Commission Chairman Jay Blossman (R-Mandeville),the conservative candidate for Governor, said today that his Democrat opponents in the gubernatorial election are wrong in pledging to use affirmative action in making cabinet and board appointments. "All four Democrat candidates have publicly committed to discriminate based on race when appointing people to cabinet or board positions," Blossman said. Lt. Governor Kathleen Blanco, Attorney General Richard Ieyoub, Buddy Leach and Randy Ewing on Thursday and Friday endorsed the use of affirmative action in making key state government appointments....

<p>BATON ROUGE - Seven out of 10 Louisiana voters are undecided about their preferred candidate for governor, a new poll shows.</p> <p>But given a list of candidates from which to choose, the number of undecided voters drops to 4 out of 10, according to the poll of 600 taken July 17-21 by Southern Media and Opinion Research of Baton Rouge for release to the news media.</p>

THE THIRD GRADER IN THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION by Jeff Crouere July 11, 2003 ...The Governor is trying to inflict damage against Public Service Commissioner Jay Blossman by attacking him on this subject {of the serial killer}, but he didn't figure that the family members of one of the victims of the serial killer would come to Blossman's defense. Pam Kinamore's brother-in-law Ed White criticized Foster for an "inappropriate" and "offensive" web poll question. Lynne Marino, Kinamore's mother, lauded Blossman for the commercial and praised his "guts." She called in to Foster's program yesterday and correctly stated, "We had money to...

<p>BATON ROUGE - The starting gun of the fall gubernatorial election does not go off until official qualifying Aug. 19-21, but the top candidates are lining up - and lining their campaign treasuries with the cash needed to make the race.</p>

<p>BATON ROUGE - Gov. Mike Foster intended to slam Public Service Commissioner Jay Blossman on his radio show Thursday, but a serial killer victim's mom struck back.</p> <p>The issue was Foster's contention that "it is in poor taste" for Blossman, a Republican candidate for governor, to be running an ad critical of state officials for not funding the DNA lab and mandatory testing for felons because such a database might have stopped the South Louisiana serial killer early.</p>

<p>GOP rift emerging in race Two Republican gubernatorial candidates withdraw John Hill Posted on June 13, 2003 BATON ROUGE - State Rep. Hunt Downer of Houma picked up the endorsement of former Gov. David Treen as expected Thursday, but an obvious rift in the Republican Party shows there is no GOP cohesiveness developing.</p>

The Battle on the Right Jeff Crouere May 16, 2003 Of the seven Republican candidates, five can be characterized as more traditional/establishment Republican candidates. This traditional group includes former Governor David C. Treen, three legislative candidates, Ken Hollis, Hunt Downer, and John Hainkel, and Bobby Jindal, supported by Governor Murphy J. "Mike" Foster. The two candidates who are "renegade" Republicans and the most conservative clearly are former Louisiana Legislative Auditor Dan Kyle and Public Service Commissioner Jay Blossman. Jay Blossman. ...Blossman has turned up the heat on the political establishment. He is running commercials against the establishment calling for aggressive...

<p>A poll by the Republican polling firm Basswood Research shows state Sen. Ken Hollis gained momentum in southeastern Louisiana last week.</p> <p>The poll, conducted in the New Orleans metropolitan area media market, indicated Hollis leads 11 other gubernatorial candidates with 27 percent of the vote. Hollis, R-Metairie, said the second-closest candidate in the poll was at 16 percent.</p>

Join Jay for his 'Repeal Stelly' Tour Thursday, May 15, 2003 Blossman calls for Tax Cuts on State Tax Day Jay Blossman (R-Mandeville), the conservative candidate for Governor,will conduct a "Repeal Stelly" statewide tour on State Tax Day. Please join Jay in calling for the repeal of tax increase on the state's working families. Blossman is the only candidate for governor who has proposed a repeal of the tax increases that are a part of the "Stelly Plan." "The Stelly Plan {named for State Rep. Vic Stelly, I-Lake Charles}, has increased taxes on working families at a time when we...

Conservative Leaders Endorse Blossman Activists from across Louisiana Enthusiastically Support The Only Conservative Candidate Jay Blossman, the conservative candidate for governor, today announced that he has earned the support of the leading grassroots conservative political leaders from across Louisiana in his upcoming bid for governor. "I am honored that conservative leaders from across Louisiana have united behind my plan for immediate conservative reform-and I am very thankful for their support," Blossman said. "Conservative voters are demanding immediate and ramatic reform," he said. "I am the only candidate who is offering real, conservative solutions." While hundreds of activists have joined Blossman's...