Foster ponders Senate [race a/g Landrieu]

The Advocate ^ | 8-21-02 | MARSHA SHULER

[GraniteStateConservative]

Foster ponders Senate

Governor may run to unseat Landrieu, GOP chief says

By MARSHA SHULER
mshuler@theadvocate.com
Capitol news bureau

Gov. Mike Foster is considering becoming a late entry into this fall's U.S. Senate race, the chairman of the state Republican Party said Tuesday.

Republican Party Chairwoman Pat Brister said she talked to Foster after hearing rumors that the two-term Republican governor could join a field of GOPers trying to oust Democratic U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu.

"He confirmed he is thinking about it," Brister said. "Several people have called him and asked him to consider it."

Foster, who must leave the Governor's Office in January 2004, did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Qualifying begins today and ends Friday for the Nov. 5 U.S. Senate election. If a run-off is required, it would be held Dec. 7.

Landrieu, a former state treasurer and lawmaker, is seeking a second six-year term.

Republicans are trying to defeat Landrieu as part of national party efforts to end razor-thin control of the U.S. Senate by Democrats.

Foster, who has won election by wide margins and has had strong approval ratings in voter polls, would be the fourth announced Republican candidate.

Three Republicans who have been campaigning are: U.S. Rep. John Cooksey of Monroe, state Rep. Tony Perkins of Pride and state Elections Commissioner Suzanne Haik Terrell of New Orleans.

Republican officials have also been talking to David Thibodaux, a Lafayette Parish School Board member who has run for Congress.

The Republican strategy in Louisiana involves fielding several Republican elected officials from different parts of the state to attract votes and force Landrieu into a runoff.

The theory goes that Landrieu would be more vulnerable in a runoff election in which Republican President Bush could get involved to help her opponent.

[GraniteStateConservative]

ping.

[Coop]

Well, well. I do give the LA GOP credit. They're still fighting!

[BillyBoy]

Betsa the RINOs would support Laudrieu over Foster.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Come on, 49%! Daddy needs a new pair of shoes!

: )

I'd like some moneyman to pay a Democrat to run just to be on the ballot.

[Coop]

I was just poking around, trying to find out more info on Foster. A couple of years ago he had a three-year run with approval ratings averaging 75%. Impressive. Then they dropped down to about 55%, then rebounded. This info is admittedly ambiguous as I'm kind of finding stuff piecemeal, and nothing particularly recent. Eventually I'll stumble across the correct website, if you haven't already provided the info. :-)

[GraniteStateConservative]

UPDATE:

Tauzin: Bush will encourage Foster to run for Senate

By GUY COATES
The Associated Press
8/21/02 10:51 AM

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- President Bush will encourage Louisiana Gov. Mike Foster, a fellow Republican, to run for the Senate seat now held by first-term Democrat Mary Landrieu, a powerful Republican congressman said Wednesday.

"I think they can talk him into doing it," Rep. Billy Tauzin, R-Chackbay, said. Tauzin was at the state Capitol to file qualifying papers in his own 3rd District re-election campaign.

Tauzin said Bush would likely call Foster later Wednesday.

Landrieu said she was not worried about a possible Foster candidacy. "The more, the merrier," she said as she filed her qualifying papers Wednesday morning.

Foster could not be reached for comment. He has repeatedly said that he is not interested in the Senate and does not want to leave the state.

"He has not changed his mind," his spokeswoman, Marsanne Golsby, said Wednesday morning. However, she added that he will listen to what the president and others have to say. "He has until Friday at 5 o'clock to change his mind," she said, referring to the deadline for filing to run for this fall's election.

Foster, 72, is legally barred from seeking a third consecutive term for governor next year. He twice won the governorship with more than 60 percent of the vote.

His reluctance to travel out of state is well known in Louisiana. And two of his potential opponents made note of it as they officially entered the race at the Capitol Wednesday morning. "There's no hunting in Washington and limited fishing," said state Rep. Tony Perkins, R-Baton Rouge. Perkins, a conservative Christian who has been highly critical of Foster administration tax plans, said he did not think a Foster candidacy would cut into his own campaign base.

"There are no speckled trout or mallards in the Potomac," U.S. Rep. John Cooksey, R-Monroe, said. He added, however, that Foster would be a formidable candidate.

State Elections Commissioner Suzanne Haik Terrell, R-New Orleans, has said she would sign up for the Senate race on Friday. Another Democrat, the Rev. Raymond Brown of New Orleans, also has said he will run.

[mwl1]

Landrieu is a vile, corrupt, vicious, liberal hag who was fraudulently elected in 1996. Glad someone, anyone is showing some chutzpah in the GOP. Get rid of her and get her off our payroll.

[Coop]

In addition to Foster's spokeswoman expressing doubt about him running, Foster's chief of staff until last week said he would be shocked if he ran for the Senate. So, it doesn't sound like he's too keen on life in the Metro area. (Can't blame him.) We'll see how persuasive the POTUS can be.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Bush has a pretty good batting average so far, Coop. John Thune wanted to run for Governor-- but he's not running for that job anymore. Suzie Terrell wanted to run for AG in 2003(and focus now on that)-- but she's going for another race now. I like our chances.

[Coop]

Norm Coleman originally didn't want to go against Wellstone either, as I remember. He wanted Ventura's job. But then the telephone rang...

[Hellwege]

it would make the LA race from the 8th highest pick-up chance, after SD,New Jersey,Minnesota,Iowa,Georgia,Missouri, Montana, probably to be the Nr. 2 or 3 on this list

[Coop]

You think IA and GA are better GOP pick-up opportunities than MO, huh? We'll agree to disagree. :-)

[CPT Clay]

Go Buddy go!

[CPT Clay]

1. NJ

2. SD

3. MN

4. MO

5 MT

6. IA

7. Ga

If Buddy and Rev. Brown get in Place La between MO and MT.

[Hellwege]

rev brown has announced his candidacy today

[CPT Clay]

Woooo hooo!!!!!

Can you say R-u-n-n-o-f-f

[mwl1]

Carve Landrieu to pieces. The witch.

[Reagan's_Mom]

Very interesting listening to Foster talk on local talk radio yesterday. He absolutely does not want to do this, but he's had quite a few "God & country" speeches that have made an impression. He defined the whole thing very well. He said it's not about Landrieu (who unfortunately is popular) and it's not about him. It's about the US Senate and what Daschle is doing to destroy this country. If he is convinced by 5:00 today that he can make a difference and win, he will "suck it up and do it".

[WFTR]

The time for the governor to announce a run would have been months ago when the Cooksey campaign was floundering and no one else had joined the race. Most of us have already joined campaigns to one extent or another and will not likely leave our candidates in order to join Foster's campaign. If he had made himself a candidate back then, others might have stayed out. He'll lose momentum when he can't beat the other candidates by a comfortable margin, and that loss of momentum could hurt him in the runoff.

WFTR
Bill