Judge Daigle retires, plans DA run; Edwards fills 27th Judicial District seat

27th Judicial District Judge Ellis Daigle retired Friday, preparatory to becoming an announced candidate for district attorney in the Nov. 4 primary.
Daigle, of Eunice, is succeeded by Judge Marion Edwards of Jefferson Parish, who is a former chief judge of the state’s Fifth Circuit of Appeal.
Edwards has been appointed by the Louisiana Supreme Court to serve through the end of Daigle’s unexpired term. The election to fill the seat will also be held on Nov. 4.
Edwards most recently sat as an interim justice on the Louisiana Supreme Court, filling in for Justice Jefferson Hughes, III who recused himself from hearing argument on the state’s ban on possession of concealed handguns by juveniles.
There were no dissenters in the court’s ruling last month that a constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2012 does not prohibit the Legislature from enacting concealed weapon laws.
Daigle is running against three-term incumbent Earl Taylor, who announced his re-election intentions in January.
The judge had been considered a likely candidate but has not been able to comment one way or the other due to restrictions placed on sitting judges regarding political campaign and comment.
There are two announced candidates for Daigle’s seat on the district court.
Eunice attorneys Gerard Caswell, who has filed organizational papers as well as campaign finance documents, and Donnie Richard, who has not yet filed official papers, are running.
Both the district attorney’s seat and the judicial seat are six-year terms.