Secretary of State Fox McKeithen [R] dies

[kayleybeth]

Walter Fox McKeithen, longtime secretary of state and son of former Gov. John McKeithen, died Saturday morning at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge. He died from complications of an infection following a paralyzing accident earlier this year. He was 58.

Friday, hours before his death, McKeithen resigned as secretary of state from his hospital bed. The resignation was not announced Friday.

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Under Louisiana's constitution, first assistant secretary of state Al Ater will take over the office. The earliest an election can take place is Sept. 30, 2006, during the next regular congressional election cycle, said Jennifer Marusak, a spokeswoman for the secretary of state's office.

Born Sept. 8, 1946, McKeithen had been paralyzed from the neck down since falling in the carport of his home Feb. 17, damaging his spinal column between the third and fourth vertebrae.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/stories/071705/new_fox001.shtml

[Erika]

1. Our prayers are with him and his family n/t

[Hippo_Tron]

2. McKeithen kept Diebold out of Louisiana

For that I have great respect for him.