DA candidates pass $300,000 in campaign spending

Incumbent Earl Taylor has raised more money and spent more than challenger Ellis Daigle in the St. Landry Parish District Attorney campaign.
Taylor’s fund-raising through the end of September totaled $202,190, including $50,000 loaned to the campaign by Taylor in September.
Daigle reported raising $193,984 through the same filing deadline, none in the way of loans.
According to required 30-days-before election reports filed with the state, Taylor had spent $172,692 and Daigle had spent $137,260 since their initial reports were filed in February of this year.
Counting funds on hand at the beginning of the campaign, Taylor had $82,996 on hand as the campaign entered October and Daigle had $66,135.
Daigle’s major contributors’ list includes a number of Eunice individuals and businesses. Daigle is from Eunice. Taylor’s contributributions include three major donors from Eunice. Taylor lives in xxxxx and is from xxxx.
Major Eunice contributors to retired Dist. Judge Daigle’s campaign include:
$2,500 (campaign maximum) -- Frey Holding, Frey Construction, Stephen Guillory, Brian J. Tanner, Charles Aguillard Agency, John W. Johnson, Jacque Pucheu, Jr., Prairie Capital Finance, Tigerland Finance, Louisiana Crane & Construction, Eunice Superette (in-kind);
$2,108 -- Elaine McGee;
$2,000 -- Rebecca Pucheu, Jane Ardoin;
$1,875 -- Old Liquor Store (in-kind);
$1,800 -- Dave T. Johnson;
$1,500 -- Aurdie Bellard;
$1,300 -- Pucheu Pucheu & Robinson;
$1,250 -- James B. Fontenot;
$1,100 -- Charles S. Feucht;
$1,000 -- Aaron F. McGee; Cleveland Michaud, Jr., DC’s Sports Bar, Curtis Joubert; Shane Frey, Tanner Services.
Major Eunice contributors to Taylor’s campaign include:
$1,500 -- Louisiana Liquid Services;
$1,000 -- Amy Shopping Center; Lonnie Winters.
Taylor’s report lists 63 contributors of $1,000 or more, up to the maximum of $2,500; Daigle’s list 61 such contributors.
Contributors of $2,500 to Taylor’s race include:
H. Allen Stuart, Jr., Lafayette; Glenn Armentor LTD, Lafayette; Greg Benhard, Palmetto; Jeff Benhard, Palmetto; Earline Bihm, Palmetto; Lil Bit Resources, Lafayette; Uncle Buds Cabins, Simmesport; Terilyn Cober, Opelousas; William Cober, Opelousas; Imperial Fire & Casualty, Opelousas; LHC Group, Lafayette; J. Hals Benhard, Palmetto; Immaculate Heart of Mary-PCS, Melville; Mary Johnson, Sunshine; Larto Lake Resort Properties, Simmesport; Keith Myers, Sunset; SKE Properties, Palmetto; JLM Property Management, Port Allen; Donald Richard, Opelousas; Sherman Standford, Opelousas; Bayou State Partners, Lafayette, Lafayette; Harold Taylor, Lafayette; Domengeaux Wright Roy & Edwards, Lafayette.
Additional $2,500 donors to Daigle’s race include:
Jeffery Bassett, Patrick Morrow, Craig Morrow, James Ryan, Michael Leger, Thomas Dejean, all of Opelousas; Edwin Villemarette, Washington; Jacqueline Hardy, Houston, Texas; Kyle Dejean Properties, Opelousas; Louis Viviano, Opelouas; Richard Haik, Jr., Lafayette; S&S Steel Buildings, Arnaudville; Taylor Bassett, Opelousas, Cynthia Gibson, Lafayette.
Both candidates report a $1,000 contribution from Monster Heavy Haulers of Rayne.
Daigle’s contributors include the Charles Jagneaux (St. Landry clerk of court) Campaign Fund, $2,000.
Taylor’s donors include the Walter Reed Campaign Fund, Covington, $1,000; and Taylor right-hand man Frank Trosclair, Jr., $2,000.
Daigle’s major media expense has been to Mid State Media of Alexandria, a total of $44,000. He has also spent $14,700 with Political Action Committee consultants.
His local media spending includes, The Eunice News, $6,000; The Daily World, $13,000; and a radio total of $5,800.
Taylor has paid Arsenment Media Group, Lafayette about $24,700. He has paid KATC TV $32,000; KLFY TV about $30,000; and Cox Communication $19,000.
His newspaper costs have been The Eunice News, $2,200, and The Daily World, $3,600. His radio expense totals $5,600.
The complete campaign reports for each candidate can be found at ethics.state.la.us/CampaignFinanceSearch