Breaux Comes Home to Implore LA to Stay Democrat

Monroe (LA) News-Star ^ | 11-23-02 | Staff

[Theodore R.]

U.S. Sen. John Breaux stumped through northeastern Louisiana Friday in an effort to help Democratic candidates for the U.S. Senate and congressional races get the vote out in the Dec. 7 runoff.

State Rep. Rodney Alexander, who is running for the vacant 5th Congressional District seat, and U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, who is running for re-election, conducted campaign rallies in Ouachita, Lincoln, Union, Morehouse and Franklin parishes.

[Theodore R.]

Breauz has put his personal prestige on the line to get victory for the Alexander-Landrieu campaigns, mush as President Bush did in the weeks prior to Nov. 5 nationwide. Breaux has never lost an election in LA. If liberal Walter Cronkite was once the "most trusted man in America," that shibboleth in LA applies to popular Senator Breaux. Earlier it was said that Breaux could have the governorship for the asking if he ran in the 2003 election. Instead he has deferred to fellow Democrat, Lt. Gov. Kathleen Blanco. Landrieu has run into unexpectedly strong opposition in this senatorial general election set for Dec. 7.

[goldstategop]

If Breaux stumps for Landrieu and she loses next month, he could look vulnerable once he's up for reelection, assuming the GOP can find a candidate to beat him. Or if he concludes the political winds are against his remaining in office he could well retire. His vacant seat would almost certainly be a GOP pickup at that time.

[donozark]

What effect will opening day of deer season have on voter turnout? Could hurt Republicans if hunters don't vote absentee or come in from the woods early...

[Theodore R.]

Goldstategop, I do not think the stakes are that high for Breaux on Dec. 7. There is no talk of the GOP taking on Zell Miller in 2004 because he worked so hard for liberal Cleland. I am sure Breaux is a Napoleonic-like figure in LA. He could have his title embellished to that of "Senator for Life." People in LA can't get enough of John Breaux's rhetoric. So that still lends great hope to the Landrieu forces that they can prevail on the lines of 53-47 or 52-48 on Dec. 7. The Democrats are already organizing the election day vans to get their dispossessed to the polls. Of course, Tony Sanchez thought that vans for the dispossessed could pull him an upset in TX. The trouble for Tony was that the dispossessed had voted during early balloting in TX, and there were few to take in the eleciton day vans. LA has no similar early voting policy, so the Democrat vans will be full on Pearl Harbor Day.

[Theodore R.]

That is a good question. I do not know if most hunters, however, vote Democrat or Republican in LA. In that many come from traditional Democrat rural areas, many may already be Landrieu supporters, as they are surely Breaux supporters. However, I would think most LA hunters vote Republican in competitive races. Some may vote on their way out to hunt, as precincts open at 6 a.m., earlier than in most states. The polls are open to 8 p.m., and most do not hunt for 14 hours straight. This may or may not be a factor.

[M.K. Borders]

LOUISIANA SPECIAL ELECTION. (Excerpt from the NRA Fax alert.)

NRA-ILA Grassroots Alert Vol. 9, No. 47 11/22/02 ^ | 23 November, 2002 | NRA Institute for Legislative Action

Posted on 11/23/2002 8:53 AM EST by M.K. Borders

LOUISIANA SPECIAL ELECTION

While the winners of almost every race across the nation were decided on November 5, 2002, or soon thereafter, some are still up in the air. In fact, because of Louisiana’s election laws, any race in which a candidate does not receive a majority (50%+1) of the vote must be decided by a run-off between the top two vote recipients. Because no candidate received a majority in the race for U.S. Senate, every eligible voter in Louisiana will have an opportunity to cast his vote on December 7 in this important race.

However, please keep in mind that December 7 is also Opening Day of Duck Season in Louisiana’s West Zone and Opening Day of Deer Season statewide. Therefore, every hunter must make sure his voice is heard by early or absentee voting or by voting at the polls on December 7.

In-person absentee voting is possible from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. on Monday, 11/25, Tuesday 11/26, Wednesday 11/27, and Saturday 11/30—BUT WILL BE CLOSED 11/28 & 11/29 FOR THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY.

For more information regarding early and absentee voting in your Parish, please find your Parish Registrar’s Office contact information in the Blue Pages of your phone book. You can also click here, then scroll down to "Registrar of Voters" under the "Contents" column on the left of the screen.

NRA members in Louisiana will soon receive additional information regarding this race in the mail, but can also call the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-8683 for more election-related information.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[cajun-jack]

check the numbers...130 in Richwood and "upwards" of 100 in Ruston....doesn't sound like gangbusters to me...Richwood is a small town that is 100% black..city administration and all residents are black..Breaux telling (begging) them to turn out in record #'s..Ruston is a good sized town and only "upwards" of 100 supporters??? "upwards" of 100 could be 51..I certainly hope that we can defeat ole "brownroots" and we don't need tax and spend rodney alexander either. Yes, Breaux would be hard to beat..he stays in the middle of the road enough to hang on to his seat.

[Brandon]

There is no talk of the GOP taking on Zell Miller in 2004 because he worked so hard for liberal Cleland.

Yeah, there is. Not because he supported Cleland so much, as because Cleland and Barnes losing proves that Miller may be vulnerable, too.

[Theodore R.]

Yes,100 to 150 is typical for turnout when a politician speaks in a smaller town or city. Most people do not follow a politicians's schedule and do not make an effort to hear him on the stump. It's the diehard activists who turn out.

However, in the days of the late Earl Kemp Long, whom most in LA adored, large numbers turned out in every town to hear this self-proclaimed "last of the red-hot papas of politics." Because hearing Long was entertainment! Hearing John Breaux is like listening to a sound bite from a high-school civics class.

[Theodore R.]

Miller won't switch parties, but he has enough Republican backing to neutralize any minor Republican candidate that steps forth. Unless the sky falls in, we can expect GA to vote for Bush AND Miller in 2004. Miller is stronger than GA Jimmy was in GA because GA Jimmy irritates Republicans still, but Miller does not in the least irritate most GOP voters.

[mombonn]

He also said the state needed Landrieu so she could keep Louisiana's presence on the Senate Appropriations and Armed Services committees.

Seems risky for a RAT to ask voters to keep a RAT on the Armed Services committee, given what RATS think of the military.

[cajun-jack]

I'm only 53 but I remember lots of stories told about "Uncle Earl" and his campaigning. People are becoming more informed and will not vote for some democrats just because of their association with billy jeff.

[Brandon]

I don't agree. I expect the White House to recruit a candidate to run in 2004 -- not a minor one, either. Miller will not switch parties, but he might take a look at the election returns from 2002 and decide he'd rather retire than have to up a real battle to keep his seat.

[jwalsh07]

Mary has an uphill push no matter what Breaux does or doesn't do. It's a hard sell in a 50-50 state to have both Senators from the minority party when they can easily choose to have a voice in the majority.

I don't know much about Louisiana politics but since I sent Mrs Terrell a few sheckles I figured I'd offer my opinion anywho.

[Irene Adler]

"Seems risky for a RAT to ask voters to keep a RAT on the Armed Services committee, given what RATS think of the military."

Having "enjoyed" the experience of a social work professor on the board of the ROTC committee at my university, I would hazard a guess that having a RAT on the Armed Services Committee is just what RATs want. Don't know if Landrieu fist in this catagory, but leftists invariably use appointments to certain committees to make trouble at every turn in order to subvert the organization they are supposed to be serving.

[Cicero]

I agree. Why would the more selfish or pragmatic voters want to sent another minority-party Senator to represent them in Washington? It would cut off their pork supply.

I'm pretty sure that if South Dakota had it to do over again today, they would not elect Tim Johnson. They only put him over the top because Daschle convinced enough swing voters that it would assure them of plenty of pork down on the farm. That argument's now gone.

[Cicero]

Being on the Armed Services committee isn't a matter of war and peace. It's a matter of shipyards and defense contracts.

[ambrose]

Miller's greatest danger would appear to be in the Rat primary.

[deport]

Breaux telling (begging) them to turn out in record #'s..

From some info that I've heard but can't find online just yet is that the turnout will be the only way she has any chance at all. The black turnout will have to almost if not match the white turnout for her to win. If that holds true then she is a one termer....... Say hello to Senator Terrell.

[Theodore R.]

I hadn't thought of a Democrat primary challenge to Miller, but I have little confidence that such a challenger could prevail. However, in 1966, in VA, a liberal challenger did succeed in defeating conservative Sen. A. Willis Robertson, father of Pat Robertson, in the Democrat primary.