Derrick Shepherd just resigned his State Senate seat three days ago, but political circles are already buzzing with talk about who will run to replace him.

WWL-TV

Former state senator Derrick Shepherd

The former senator in District Three resigned after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering in Federal Court last Friday.

“We only have 39 state senators, so when there's a vacancy in the senate, it's a big deal,” said WWL-TV Political Analyst Clancy DuBos.

District three is oddly-drawn, crossing both the East and West banks of the Mississippi River, including diverse parts of both Orleans and Jefferson Parishes. Shepherd was from the Jefferson Parish side of Senate District Three, and DuBos said voters may push harder this time to get a candidate elected from the Orleans Parish side of the district.

“The district is about two thirds African-American. Even with lower black turn out, it's at least 60-40 standard turn out,” DuBos said, “So, it'd be very difficult for a white candidate to win this seat.”

State Representative and Democrat J.P. Morrell already announced that he’ll run for the Senate seat.

“I think that people are tired of having all these elections to replace people who went to jail,” Morrell said, “There's nothing in my past. There's nothing in my present that creates an ethical question whatsoever. I can completely assure people of that.”

Financial consultant Shawn Barney unsuccessfully ran for the seat twice, and said Monday that he’s taking a “strong look” at another run.

The man who held the seat for two terms before Shepherd said he’s also considering it, but that another run depends on whether he sees a strong enough candidate in the race.

According to DuBos, Morrell would be the candidate to beat in the race.

“He'll be someone that is taken very seriously. He's not going to be crowned. He's going to have to earn this, and if someone else from the private sector or somewhere else in the political community comes forward, it's going to be a race,” DuBos said.

Louisiana State Senate President Joel Chaisson, R-Destrehan, will set the special election date. He was out of the country Monday and unavailable for comment, but Secretary of State Jay Dardenne has recommended holding qualifying for the race from January 14 through 16, 2009. He’s hoping the primary will be scheduled on March 7, 2009, with a run off on April 4, 2009, just days before the regular session of the legislature convenes.