Seuzeneau, Hodges projected for runoff in race for St. Tammany Parish sheriff

COVINGTON, La. (WVUE) - Longtime Slidell Police official Daniel Seuzeneau and former Louisiana State Police superintendent Robert Hodges will advance to a Dec. 12 runoff in their race to become the next sheriff of St. Tammany Parish, Fox 8 projected Tuesday (Nov. 3).

With 168 of 171 precincts reporting, Seuzeneau led with 46 percent of the vote and Hodges held 32 percent in the four-man race. Retired U.S. Marshal and former state trooper Scott Illing and retired St. Tammany sheriff bomb squad commander David Maki each received 11 percent support and were eliminated.

The winner of next month’s runoff will complete the remaining 17 months of former Sheriff Randy Smith’s term.

Smith resigned and pleaded guilty to second-degree battery in May, after attacking a Mandeville man inside a north shore restaurant.

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Veteran deputy Bret Ibert was sworn in as interim sheriff, but has said he plans to retire from the agency when the new sheriff takes office in January.

Hodges, 54, retired from his position as superintendent of the Louisiana State Police to pursue the vacated seat in St. Tammany.

Seuzeneau, 43, has spent two decades with the Slidell Police Department, serving more than 10 years as its public information officer and spokesman before becoming interim chief when Randy Fandal was elected Slidell mayor in October 2025.

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