Incumbent Boissiere to face Lewis in runoff for Public Service Commission

Challengers to District 3 Public Service Commissioner Lambert Boissiere III attacked him in unison for accepting campaign contributions from the utility companies he regulates. Their strategy was effective, forcing the three-term incumbent into a Dec. 10 runoff.

Boissiere received 43% of the vote, and Devante Lewis, a fiscal activist and former school teacher from Baton Rouge, was second with 18% support. New Orleans pastor Gregory Manning finished third with 17%.

“After tonight, I would hope that our Public Service Commissioner regrets skating by for nearly two decades, accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars from Entergy and Cleco, and letting our utility system crumble in the face of worsening hurricanes,” Lewis said in a statement. “But, to be honest, I think that he’s once again going to choose taking Entergy’s donations over giving power to the people.”

Members of the Public Service Commission service six-year terms. District 2, which spans from New Orleans to Baton Rouge, is the only one with a majority-minority voter composition that all but ensures a Black office holder.

In the only other PSC race on Tuesday’s ballot, incumbent Mike Francis sailed to an easy win in District 4. He represents portions of Acadiana and Central Louisiana.