Republican East Baton Rouge Parish (EBRP) Mayor-President candidate Nathaniel Hearn.
On September 16, 2024, we published this feature entailing a Hayride article point-blank stating that EBRP Mayor-President candidate Nathaniel Hearn “appears to be a plant” for incumbent Sharon Weston Broome.
On the video of that feature, Hearn flatly rejected any such notion; however, that apparently did nothing to quell the speculation in that regard.
We say that because, at the debate for the candidates for EBRP Mayor-President held on Monday, October 14, 2024, at the Baton Rouge Press Club, fellow Republican candidate Steve Myers openly questioned Hearn’s motivations for being in the race.
Specifically, Myers stated that, “Word I’ve heard on the street…..,” and then proceeded to indicate (in a rather convoluted way) that Hearn would essentially, one way or another, drop out of the race and endorse an opponent (if he were to drop out prior to the primary) or his sole opponent (if he were to drop out in the runoff if he’s in it, which Myers indicated that Hearn would be).
Basically, Myers’ question was a piggy back off of The Hayride publisher Scott McKay’s “plant” innuendo.
Hearn had a pretty strong reaction to Myers’ question, and we’d like to present the posing of the question, Hearn’s response, as well as some commentary Hearn had in a one-on-one interview we conducted with him after the forum. Here’s that video coverage:
10/14/24: Hearn provides his response to Myers’ question and provides additional commentary on opponent Sid Edwards’ last-minute decision to decline to appear at the debate as well as his record of not voting in a SINGLE election over the last 8-1/2 years.
Look, we get the fact that Sid Edwards is the current football coach at Istrouma High School and the fact that Woody Jenkins is an Istrouma alumnus.
That fact, combined with the fact that McKay is a sports fanatic, likely has caused the two of them to form a perception that Edwards is simply the man for the job.
Heck, only yesterday, we received a Jenkins publication in the mail that was about 26 pages in length and, from beginning to end, it was one article and/or editorial after another touting Edwards (here’s the online edition if anyone’s interested).
We’ve already made our sentiments known that we’re endorsing Hearn in the race.
As for the relentless attacks on Hearn’s motivations for being in the race, we believe they are completely irresponsible, particularly when he’s already emphatically denied those accusations on September 16, 2024, and we were happy to provide him with the forum to do so (Hearn makes note of that fact in the video above).
In our firm opinion, all of this, “word on the street,” entailing Hearn is nothing more than Mickey Mouse antics that apparently may originate from a deep-seated fear that a young candidate may gain momentum and cause problems for the candidate supported by those making the insinuations. Nevertheless, we do thank Myers for at least making the accusations very public in order to provide Hearn the forum to emphatically deny what, in our opinion, is nothing short of irresponsible innuendo.
Now, enough with the innuendo. Consider this: It is NOT innuendo that Sid Edwards hasn’t voted in 8-1/2 years. That is pure and simple fact!
In fact, let’s go ahead and again produce Hearn’s ad exposing Edwards’ MIA voting record for the last 8-1/2 years at this time:
Hearn’s TV ad attacking opponent Sid Edwards for failing to vote in the last 8-1/2 years.
The only explanation Edwards has offered for not voting for the last 8-1/2 years is revealed in this Advocate article:
“I got disgusted with the stuff that was going on. (Whether) it was the right decision or wrong decision,” Edwards said. “But at some point, you know, we can’t turn over the government to people with the wrong values … (you) have to get involved.”
Let us explain for everyone exactly what the “point” is. That “point,” or essentially his epiphany about “having to get involved,” came about from a simple phone call from Woody Jenkins wherein Jenkins stroked his ego! It’s literally that simple!
For us, that’s just not a solid enough foundation for selecting our choice for the next Mayor-President of East Baton Rouge! Hence, if the majority of voters select Edwards as the next Mayor-President of East Baton Rouge Parish, so be it, but we can only state that it won’t be with our support!
What is Hearns platform? I’ve never seen him before at the Press club in my 7 years of Membership. I rarely miss a weekly meeting.