High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! John Leigh "Jay" Dardenne, Jr. (born February 6, 1954), has been Louisiana`s Republican lieutenant governor since November 22, 2010. He won a special election to the position held in conjunction with the regular November 2 general election. At the time, Dardenne was Louisiana secretary of state. Formerly, Dardenne (pronounced DAR DEN) was a state senator from the Baton Rouge suburbs, having served from 1992 until after his election as secretary of state on September 30, 2006.