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Donor offers judgeship backing if Senate candidate left race

Posted at 3:33 PM, Oct 16, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-16 16:33:44-04

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - A Republican donor trying to keep a three-way Louisiana Senate runoff from giving Democrats an advantage offered to help a GOP candidate run for judge if he dropped out of the Senate race.

GOP businessman Lane Grigsby confirmed Wednesday to The Advocate he made the offer to Franklin Foil, trying to get him to cede the GOP runoff position to Steve Carter.

Grigsby says he spoke with Sen. Dan Claitor, the term-limited lawmaker who holds the seat and has endorsed Foil. Claitor says he didn't pass along the message because he "was appalled."

Foil and Carter, state representatives, tied for second-place in Saturday's primary. Both could head to a Nov. 16 runoff against Democrat Beverly Brooks Thompson, threatening to split the GOP vote.

An absentee ballot recount is scheduled Thursday.