74-year-old Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon will serve another four years after defeating fellow GOP challenger Tim Temple. Donelon received 56% of the vote and says the victory comes after an intense campaign where his opponent self-funded nearly two-million dollars of his own campaign.
“It was truly an incredibly gratifying experience in light of the fact that we were facing such a formidable challenge with the resources that my opposition brought to the table,” said Donelon.
Donelon, who was first appointed to the position in 2006, is now the longest-serving Insurance Commissioner in the state’s history. Donelon says the work to bring down car insurance rates continues.
“We have challenges. Auto rates are number one. I do believe we’ll be able to address that in the next legislative session with the new legislature,” said Donelon.
Donelon believes the key to lowering car insurance rates is through tort reform so that the state doesn’t have such a friendly litigation climate.
“Our claims-to-litigation ratio being the highest in America, we need to look at anything we’re doing different than the other states are,” said Donelon.
