NEW ORLEANS - Louisiana's Supreme Court decided Thursday not to hear the appeal of a state Senator-hopeful who finished just 50 votes shy of advancing to Saturday's runoff election.
David Williams said the margin was so small that any mistake could have affected the outcome. Approximately 14,000 voters participated in the Oct. 20 primary that shut Williams out of the runoff, which was won by Democrat Cheryl Gray.
Williams missed a deadline for a hearing on Wednesday, then learned his appeal would not be heard the next day. His narrow loss put Jalila Jefferson-Bullock in the runoff election.
Chief Justice Pascal Calogero, Jr., and Justice Jeffrey Victory both would have granted Williams' Application to Reconsider. Victory said he would have granted Williams' writ application if it had been heard.
Williams is a former Appeals Court Judge. Like Gray and Jefferson-Bulluck, he ran as a Democrat with hopes of representing the state's 5th District, which covers New Orleans.
Democrats hold a 24-15 edge in the state's Senate. The state's House of Representatives is also controlled by the Democrats.