Political News From Louisiana

PoliticsLA.com ^ | 16 Apr 04 | Various

[Amish]

Inside Political Track Roemer Is Serious...In the seven days since The Louisiana Weekly revealed that former Governor Buddy Roemer might run for the U.S. Senate, evidence has mounted that Roemer is serious. He has contacted many of the contributors who backed his candidacies for Congress and the Executive Mansion, and has gained one prominent supporter. Shaw Group CEO Jim Bernhardt, a Democrat, has said that he will support Roemer. --PoliticsLA.com commentary by Christopher Tidmore

Key Fundraising Tallies So Far... U.S. Senate Race: David Vitter...$2.6 million on hand--$1.145 million raised in 1st Quarter. Chris John...$2 million on hand (April 1)--$1 million+ in 1st Quarter John Kennedy...$750,000 on hand (April 1)--$500,000 in 1st Quarter

U.S. House Races: Charles Boustany...$328,000 on hand--$340,000 raised in 1st Quarter Bobby Jindal...$760,000 on hand--$800,000 raised in 1st Quarter Charlie Melancon...$320,000 raised in 1st Quarter Steve Scalise...$190,000 raised in 1st Quarter --PoliticsLA.com

[Flux Capacitor]

An MRI poll taken a month ago suggests that if Roemer gets into the Senate race, he and David Vitter could very possibly end up in the runoff.... shutting the Democrats out of this Senate race altogether. The numbers are Vitter 28%, Roemer 19%, John Kennedy 17%, Chris John 17%.

For a system devised by Edwin Edwards to forever bar Republicans from contention in statewide races to finally, 30 years later, work against the Democrats is so, so, sweet to imagine. I know better than to count on it happening, but the potential is very much there.

-Dan

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

I'd rather see Roemer sit this one out. In the open primary, Vitter would stand a very good chance of winning outright on November 2, as Dubya is looking pretty strong down here. When it gets to a December runoff, as we saw with Terrell and Landrieu, all bets are off.

[Flux Capacitor]

Nope, he should go for it. No Republican whose name isn't Fox McKeithen stands a chance of winning a statewide race here outright, in the primary. It just isn't realistic with the Democratic Party still so entrenched. And it's the one-to-one matchup with the Democrat in the runoff where things usually go to hell for the Republican candidate, no matter how strong a win he or she boasts in the primary (remember Jindal's 2-to-1 margin over Blanco).

With Vitter starting out so strongly, and Roemer such a well-established property, the GOP looks to have a real opportunity this year to use the Dems' open-primary system against them. No time like the present to seize it.

-Dan

[IMRight]

Ping!

[KQQL]

@

[Bogey78O]

This strategy would work if we hype Morel more and Roemer goes for the more conventional Democrat.

[GraniteStateConservative]

I agree with you. I think it could happen.

[deport]

La is developing to be a very interesting state this election cycle...... I think I read somewhere the other day the Rep. Alexander isn't going to endorse Kerry which would be against the grain of the statewide democrats....