(US Rep. David) Vitter (LA-01) Announces Run For Senate (Breaux's Seat)

The Advertiser ^ | December 17, 2003 | AP

[Pubbie]

METAIRIE (AP)

[Pubbie]

[freedom44]

ping

[Pubbie]

Ok, no surprise, but it's now official.

[TUX]

Dream of a six seat Senate pickup in the South.

It could happen!!!!

[Pubbie]

Well the NRC is probably gunning for a 5 seat Southern pickup - Arkansas will be very hard to pickup - however it could happen if Bush has enormous coattails.

[William McKinley]

I like it. I hope Jindal decides to run for his House seat instead of taking him on; I like them both and would rather not see a fight between them. Let Vitter take the Senate, and the younger Jindal get another notch in his impressive resume in the House.

[Galactic Overlord-In-Chief]

Unless Jim Holt really grills Blanche Lincoln, I doubt we can get Arkansas. Louisiana will be tough, but it can be done. Vitter's been preparing for this for a while.

[Pubbie]

Which seat would Jindal go for in the House - the LA-05? - he'd be running against Alexander who is very vulnerable.

I think Jindal lives in the CD-05.

[William McKinley]

I am not sure. I forget the details I read, but it said that Jindal handily carried the district in the Governor's race.

[Pubbie]

Well it can be done since Stinkin Lincoln is very liberal - there were a lot of surprise GOP Senate pickups in 1984.

[William McKinley]

Found it. Not the 5th, but the 1st (Vitter's current seat).

http://www.katc.com/Global/story.asp?S=1568596&nav=EyAzJjlx

[Cicero]

We have not been having many successes in Louisiana recently. Let's hope this one is different.

[Pubbie]

I don't think Jindal is interested in the Senate next year - he might go for Vitter's seat in LA-01 though I'm not certain he is interested.

[Kuksool]

Jindal currently lives in the LA-06. I doubt we could reclaim the LA-05. There has been a distinct RAT trend up in North LA. The LA-05 voted for Landrieu in 2002, Blanco in 2003, and all of the RAT Down Ballot officers in 2003.

[Pubbie]

It's not impossible - Bush carried LA with 53% in 2000 and he'll probably get over 56% in 2004.

For John to win in November he would need an awful lot of ticket splitting, so at a minimum the coattails effect creates an uphill climb for John.

[Theodore R.]

Jindal lives in the Baton Rouge district, not the district that Vitter will be vacating. I would think "carpetbagger" would be hurled against him if he relocates to the New Orleans suburbs now.

[Pubbie]

Isn't Cooksey thinking about taking back his old seat in LA-05?

[Molly Pitcher]

Just what you said...

[Pubbie]

Next year is going to be a terrific campaign season in LA - there will be the Presidential race, The open senate seat, Cooksey might come back to run against Alexander and there will be Hunt Downer running to replace Tauzin.

[Kuksool]

We have a better chance of holding Tauzin's seat than reclaiming Cooksey's old seat. Bayou voters stand by their incumbents.