Jefferson Parish elections typically go one of two ways: They’re either lopsided victories for favored (or unopposed) incumbents or bare-knuckle brawls that divide the parish into geographic and/or political factions.
The contests for the two at-large council seats fall into the latter category.
Incumbents Ricky Templet in Division A and Scott Walker in Division B both seek reelection, but each is challenged by a term-limited district council member looking to stay in public office — with a higher profile. All are Republicans.
Templet faces two challengers, but only one is making a splash: District 5 council member Jennifer Van Vrancken.
Templet was first elected to the at-large seat four years ago after serving two terms on the council as the District 1 member.
A Gretna businessman and civic activist, Templet touts his deep roots on the West Bank as well as his efforts to improve parishwide services, flood and hurricane protection, housing stock for young families and neighborhood quality of life. He is well known for being active on the ground during and after hurricanes and disasters — and for co-founding Gretna Fest, which has become the largest autumn music and heritage festival in southeast Louisiana.
Van Vrancken served eight years repping Council District 5, which includes Old Metairie and a large swath of the parish’s east bank. Prior to that, she worked as the chief operating officer in parish government.
She touts her deep knowledge of parish government and her record of protecting neighborhoods, keeping citizens informed of parish projects and challenges and working to redevelop Fat City (though that project was recently put on hold).
Last year and in early 2023, Van Vrancken positioned herself to run for lieutenant governor. She changed course when Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser decided to seek reelection rather than enter the governor’s race. She has mounted a formidable challenge to Templet.
Political consultant Greg Buisson.
Walker, who lives in Metairie, faces an even tougher challenge from District 4 council member Dominick Impastato. That contest has generated a lot of fireworks.
First elected to the Division B at-large seat four years ago as a political newcomer, Walker says he has brought an independent voice to the council. He has advocated expanding working-class families’ access to early childhood education in Jefferson, which he says will prepare parish government for the impact of major demographic changes.
In a recent pitch to Kenner business folks, Walker took a swipe at Impastato, whose political base is Kenner, by citing a list of the city’s challenges and asking, “Why isn’t Kenner more like Metairie?” His answer: Kenner politics.
Impastato responded that Walker “hasn’t spent any appreciable time in any neighborhood besides his own,” and “for him to comment on what is good or bad in any neighborhood in the parish is like everything with him: ill-informed and suspect at best.”
Sidney Torres, owner of IV Waste, on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022. (Photo by Sophia Germer, The Times-Picayune)
A trial lawyer and former Kenner City Council member, Impastato won a spot on the Parish Council in 2017. He says he will bring more energy and focus to the job — along with a history of getting out into the neighborhoods to listen to voters where they live and work.
In an interesting twist that seems, well, not at all surprising for Jefferson politics, the Walker-Impastato race has become a media brawl over allegations by Walker that a “political machine” led by political consultant Greg Buisson wields inordinate influence, if not control, over who gets elected to the parish council. Buisson has handled scores of political campaigns in Jefferson.
Here's the strangest twist: The biggest grenades in this political proxy war are being lobbed by New Orleans-based businessman Sidney Torres IV, whose trash collection company recently lost its contract with Kenner after another Buisson client, Michael Glaser, won the mayor’s race last year. Torres has a political action committee called Voice of the People, which is spending at least $200,000 blasting Buisson’s Kenner-based candidates — particularly Impastato.
Impastato answered with an ad of his own against Torres, and Buisson called Walker “an empty suit that loves the spotlight.”
The attacks and counterattacks may not help voters make up their minds, but they provide one helluva sideshow for those on the outside looking in.
Clancy DuBos is Gambit's political editor. You can reach him at clancy@gambitweekly.com.