Changes

===Race for secretary of state===

===Race for secretary of state===

In March 2018, in remission from cancer,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2018/01/julie_stokes_illness.html|title=Louisiana Rep. Julie Stokes' breast cancer surgery was 'successful'|publisher=''The New Orleans Times-Picayune''|date=January 3, 2018|accessdate=March 24, 2018}}</ref> Stokes announced that she would consider running in 2019 for the secretary of state position which Republican [[Tom Schedler]] of St. Tammany Parish vacated after allegations of [[sexual harassment]] were brought against him by one of his female office employes. Schedler vacated the office on May 8, 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/2018/03/22/rep-julie-stokes-cancer-free-eyes-secretary-state-race/444754002/|title=Rep. Julie Stokes, cancer free, eyes secretary of state race|author=[[Greg Hilburn]]|publisher=''The Monroe News-Star''|accessdate=March 24, 2018}}</ref> On May 16, 2018, Stokes confirmed that she would run for the year remaining in Schedler's term. Her opposition included businessman and former state Sen. Almond Gaston Crowe, Jr. (born 1948), of Pearl River in St. Tammany Parish, who served in both legislative chambers from 2000 to 2016; Republican state Representative [[Rick Edmonds]], a [[Southern Baptist]] minister from Baton Rouge (formerly of [[Shreveport]]), who pledged a "watchdog" role for the office to guarantee that only qualified voters in Louisiana can cast ballots. Renee Fontenot Free, the official choice of the Louisiana Democratic Executive Committee,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thetowntalk.com/story/news/2018/08/20/see-who-la-democrats-pinned-their-hopes-loosen-gop-grip/1041200002/|author=Greg Hilburn|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk''|date=August 20, 2018|title=See who Louisiana Democrats pinned their hopes on|accessdate=August 21, 2018}}</ref> as the only member of her party in the race for secretary of state was a favorite to gain a runoff berth. The interim secretary of state, [[Kyle Ardoin]], a Republican, delayed his announcement of candidacy,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/jun/27/former-louisiana-lawmaker-enters-secretary-of-stat/|title=Former Louisiana lawmaker enters secretary of state's race|publisher=''[[Washington Times]]''|date=June 27, 2018|accessdate=July 2, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/2018/07/05/secretary-state-see-whos-whos-out-race/759474002/|title=Secretary of state race: See who's in, who's out|publisher=''The Monroe News-Star''|author=Greg Hilburn|date=July 5, 2018|accessdate=July 6, 2018}}</ref> but prevailed in the runoff contest on December 8 with another woman Democrat, Gwen Collins-Greenup, not the previously party-favored Renee Fontenot Free.

In March 2018, in remission from cancer,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2018/01/julie_stokes_illness.html|title=Louisiana Rep. Julie Stokes' breast cancer surgery was 'successful'|publisher=''The New Orleans Times-Picayune''|date=January 3, 2018|accessdate=March 24, 2018}}</ref> Stokes announced that she would consider running in 2019 for the secretary of state position which Republican [[Tom Schedler]] of St. Tammany Parish vacated after allegations of [[sexual harassment]] were brought against him by one of his female office employes. Schedler vacated the office on May 8, 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/2018/03/22/rep-julie-stokes-cancer-free-eyes-secretary-state-race/444754002/|title=Rep. Julie Stokes, cancer free, eyes secretary of state race|author=[[Greg Hilburn]]|publisher=''[[Monroe News Star]]''|accessdate=March 24, 2018}}</ref> On May 16, 2018, Stokes confirmed that she would run for the year remaining in Schedler's term. Her opposition included businessman and former state Sen. Almond Gaston Crowe, Jr. (born 1948), of Pearl River in St. Tammany Parish, who served in both legislative chambers from 2000 to 2016; Republican state Representative [[Rick Edmonds]], a [[Southern Baptist]] minister from Baton Rouge (formerly of [[Shreveport]]), who pledged a "watchdog" role for the office to guarantee that only qualified voters in Louisiana can cast ballots. Renee Fontenot Free, the official choice of the Louisiana Democratic Executive Committee,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thetowntalk.com/story/news/2018/08/20/see-who-la-democrats-pinned-their-hopes-loosen-gop-grip/1041200002/|author=Greg Hilburn|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk''|date=August 20, 2018|title=See who Louisiana Democrats pinned their hopes on|accessdate=August 21, 2018}}</ref> as the only member of her party in the race for secretary of state was a favorite to gain a runoff berth. The interim secretary of state, [[Kyle Ardoin]], a Republican, delayed his announcement of candidacy,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/jun/27/former-louisiana-lawmaker-enters-secretary-of-stat/|title=Former Louisiana lawmaker enters secretary of state's race|publisher=''[[Washington Times]]''|date=June 27, 2018|accessdate=July 2, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/2018/07/05/secretary-state-see-whos-whos-out-race/759474002/|title=Secretary of state race: See who's in, who's out|publisher=''The Monroe News-Star''|author=Greg Hilburn|date=July 5, 2018|accessdate=July 6, 2018}}</ref> but prevailed in the runoff contest on December 8 with another woman Democrat, Gwen Collins-Greenup, not the previously party-favored Renee Fontenot Free.

==References==

==References==