Landrieu faces her toughest political storm to stay in Senate

cnn.com ^ | 4/16/14 | Halimah Abdullah

[cotton1706]

Louisiana Democrat Sen. Mary Landrieu is in the middle of a storm.

She is beset by well-funded forces on the right who sense the Gulf Coast Democrat's vulnerability in trying to defend a Senate seat in a red state. On the left, she is trying to avoid being pulled down by the undertow of a president whose decline in approval ratings and controversial health care reform law might not play well with her state's conservative sensibilities.

She's been buffeted by rough re-election fights before, and in previous successful bids for the state legislature, state treasurer's office and eventually two runoffs for the U.S. Senate seat she's proven she has the thick skin and political acumen to weather storms.

For example, her 1996 Senate win included a nail-biter of a runoff that she won by just 5,788 votes amid allegations of voter fraud by her challenger, state Rep. Woody Jenkins, and a congressional probe before she could finally assume office.

She also has the political pedigree as the sister of New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu and daughter of former New Orleans mayor and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Maurice "Moon" Landrieu.

"We have been in this business for a long time; you try to insulate yourself a little bit from some of the negative aspects," Moon Landrieu told the New York Times in January.

But this time there's a lot more at stake.

2014 midterms: What's at stake

"Historically, her re-elections have been very tough," said Silas Lee, a social politics professor at Xavier University in Louisiana. "This time, to some degree, it's a nationalized re-election. She didn't have to contend with the outside interests trying to defeat her before."

[Gaffer]

IIRC there was some hijinks with regard to her first election during the Clinton Era. My personal belief is that her ‘close’ election was rigged and whitewashed by the SENATE in seating her.

She was an attractive lady at the time, but she’s imbibed a little too much Gumbo or crawdads since then and looks kinda like plump Hillary now.

It would be good to see the last of that clan removed from Louisiana politics.

BTW, cast the deciding vote for ObamaCare. Never forget that.

[randita]

She is beset by well-funded forces on the right

Are Republicans ever beset by well-funded forces on the left - and reported on by CNN, et al?

[Servant of the Cross]

CNN: Landrieu Ad with Fake Footage Is 'Blowing Up in Her Face'

[Arrowhead1952]

On the left, she is trying to avoid being pulled down by the undertow of a president whose decline in approval ratings and controversial health care reform law might not play well

Ya don't say!! I thought the dims wanted to run on democrapcare.

[deport]

The lastes poll done by Magellan-Strategies on Mar. 24-26, 2014 has her below 40%.
Other earlier polls have her below 50% so in all she is struggling. But there is
a long time until the Nov. election so things may change.

Magellan-Strategies poll
http://www.slideshare.net/MagellanStrat/magellan-strategies-louisiana-general-election-survey-topline-results-032414

Real Clear Politics - Other polls
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2014/senate/louisiana_senate_race.html

[bigbob]

now it’s “her seat” that evil Republicans are trying to take away. Bought and paid-for..

[ScottinVA]

Are Republicans ever beset by well-funded forces on the left-

"Vell now.. let me zink on zat one..."

[centurion316]

a runoff that she won by just 5,788 votes amid allegations of voter fraud by her challenger, state Rep. Woody Jenkins,

Can anyone at CNN write the English language? The voter fraud was committed by Landrieu, not by her opponent. The sentence should read:

amid allegations by her challenger, state Rep. Woody Jenkins, of voter fraud.