The Associated Press

BATON ROUGE - In a move attempting to show independence from the governor's office, Louisiana Senate President John Hainkel said he's got more than enough votes from senators to keep his leadership job.

It takes a simple majority to elect a Senate president - 20 votes of the 39 members. Hainkel said Wednesday he's got commitments from 23 senators to support his re-election as president and expects to have 27 votes by the end of the week.

Hainkel, R-New Orleans, stood on the floor of the Senate to make his announcement surrounded by 10 of his committee chairmen from across party lines and throughout the state who pledged their votes and support. The pledges weren't in writing, however.

"I don't really need a written commitment. I take these men at their word," said Hainkel, who has served as Senate president for one term, since 2000, and served as speaker of the House of Representatives from 1980 to 1984.

It was a clear move to step away from the typically heavy hand of the Louisiana governor. While the leadership positions are elected in both the House and the Senate, the governor has had a lot of sway in determining who will lead the two legislative bodies. A governor's support often has been seen as crucial to get the leadership posts.

While saying he could work well with either of the two candidates in the Nov. 15 runoff for governor, Hainkel acknowledged the pre-emptive news conference was a step of independence. "We want them to respect us as a body, that we're not puppets."

Hainkel said he asked those senators supporting him also to vote for Sen. Don Cravins, D-Arnaudville, to serve as president pro tempore, replacing Sen. Louis Lambert, D-Prairieville, who left the Senate earlier this year.