This November, the Secretary of State’s race is on the ballot, due to the May resignation of Tom Schedler. Upon Schedler’s resignation, his first assistant (Kyle Ardoin) then assumed office. He (Ardoin) decided at the end of qualifying to run for the job, and he is being joined by eight other candidates.

JMC was commissioned by the Edmonds campaign (Rep. Rick Edmonds is a state representative who represents the southeastern portion of East Baton Rouge Parish) to poll this race. The poll (which can be viewed here) shows three things: (1) Governor Edwards faces a competitive re-election race next fall, (2) Democrat Renee Fontenot Free leads the race (there are only two Democrats to split up the Democratic vote, while six Republicans are splitting up the Republican vote), (3) on the Republican side, state representatives Rick Edmonds (R-Baton Rouge) and Julie Stokes (R-Kenner) lead the field, as Rep. Stokes has consolidated the vote in her home of Jefferson Parish (which happens to be one of the three largest parishes in the state), while Rep. Edmonds has been building a broader statewide base.