(AP) — Republican Jay Dardenne says he’ll take over the lieutenant governor’s office on Nov. 22. He’s waiting long enough to avoid holding a special election for the secretary of state’s job that he’s leaving behind.
Dardenne won the lieutenant governor’s race with 57 percent of the vote, defeating Democrat Caroline Fayard in a race to fill the remaining year of Mitch Landrieu’s term.
Dardenne outlined his transition plans Wednesday. While he could take office on Nov. 12, he’s waiting an extra 10 days to avoid forcing a special election for secretary of state that Dardenne says would cost $6 million.
Instead, Dardenne’s first assistant, Republican Tom Schedler, will become acting secretary of state until the 2011 elections. Schedler says he’ll run for the job next year.
 
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