Louisiana political journalist John Maginnis dies

Arrangements are pending for long-time political journalist John Maginnis, whose career was launched with the pivotal gubernatorial campaign of 1972. He died at his residence here Sunday at age 66.
He was founder and publisher of LaPolitics Weekly and LaPolitics.com.
Maginnis began in journalism by distributing The State-Times on his bike after school, serving as editor of The Daily Reveille at LSU and as a reporter for The Catholic Commentato.
Through his three books, “The Last Hayride,” “Cross to Bear,” and “The Politics of Reform,” he became one of the most recognizable names in Bayou State politics.
He first achieved publishing successes first with Gris Gris magazine and later Louisiana Political Review. The latter gave way to The Fax Weekly in 1993, which underwent a name change, to LaPolitics Weekly, not long after. In recent years, Maginnis expanded the political newsletter and its digital counterpart, LaPolitics.com, by adding new staff, developing media partnerships and broadening its editorial scope.
His syndicated opinion column appeared in 21 newspapers, including The Eunice News and on web sites, including eunicetoday.com. He was also a featured speaker for civic groups and organizations across the Gulf Coast. In 2000, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the LSU Manship School of Mass Communications.
Survivors include his wife, Jackie Drinkwater-Maginnis.