James H. "Jim" Brown - First Election As Insurance Commissioner, 1991

First Election As Insurance Commissioner, 1991

Brown resumed his law practice from 1988 to 1991, when he was again bitten by the political bug and ran for insurance commissioner. That office was in shambles from scandals that had occurred under two previous discredited Democratic commissioners, Sherman A. Bernard of Westwego in Jefferson Parish and Doug Green of Baton Rouge.

Brown led in the 1991 primary, with 572,719 votes (40 percent). He was forced into a general election with New Orleans Republican city council member Peggy Wilson, who polled 435,355 votes (30 percent). Former Commissioner Bernard drew 270,749 votes (19 percent). Two other Democrats and two other Republicans shared another 11 percent of the vote. In the November 16, 1991, general election, in which Edwards defeated Duke for the governorship, Brown was a big winner over Mrs. Wilson. He polled 1,002,038 (60 percent) to Wilson's 674,097 (40 percent). Wilson outpolled Duke, who was a drag on the other Republican candidates that year, by some 3,000 votes.

Brown took office early – on December 4, 1991. Brown explained in a press release why he had assumed his office before the other elected constitutional officers were sworn in:

I had initially planned to take office along with the other state elected officials in January. However, because of the continuing insurance crisis, especially in regards to the growing insolvency problem, I feel that I must address these issues immediately and put the department on the proper course. If we're going to get this mess under control, we're going to have to do it right. And most of the things we are going to do aren't going to be big surprises. I presented a 70-page plan of restructure and reform to the voters. Since the voters elected me based greatly on the strength of that proposal, I think it would be improper for me not to make every effort to put that plan into action as soon as possible.