Sen. Don Cravins, Sr. Speaking Out Against Democratic Party [La. RUNOFF]

KLFY ^ | November 16, 2004 | NA

[JohnnyZ]

While the Cravins family is making history at the state capitol, the senior of the two is speaking out against the Democratic party.

Senator Don Cravins, who has clashed with the party before, suggested last week he doesn't care whether a Democrat or Republican ultimately wins the seat.

The senator goes on to say, "There's a large degree of disillusionment with the way the race was conducted and the way the party conducted it. Some traditional Democrat votes are not leaning towards supporting her. I think it's an uphill battle for Willie Mount."

Mount is in a December 4th runoff for the 7th Congressional District seat against Republican Charles Boustany, Jr.

[JohnnyZ]

Cravins considered running against Landrieu in 2002 since she only came calling at election time and didn't care the rest of the time.

The state party unofficially but essentially endorsed Mount over Cravins in the Nov. 2nd election and has since denied doing so.

[JohnnyZ]

Geaux Boustany Ping

[JohnnyZ]

Also see: http://www.katc.com/Global/story.asp?S=2573715&nav=EyAzTC3N BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - In what could spell trouble for congressional hopeful Willie Mount, black officials in Acadiana are lining up behind defeated candidate Donald Cravins in his dispute with the state Democratic Party, saying his anger at the Democrats is justified.

[AuH2ORepublican]

Even without the animosity between Cravins supporters and Mount, I always thought that Boustany would have the edge in the run-off because he's a Catholic from the more populous eastern part of the district. The Cravins controversy is just gravy.

I just hope we don't get stung by the animosity bug in LA-03, where state Senator Romero isn't at all happy with the way the LA GOP endorsed Billy Tauzin III in the first round.

[Southack]

Once again Cravins is giving us a recruitment opportunity. He was treated poorly by the Dems in 2002, and he hasn't apparently forgotten...

[JohnnyZ]

And he's not the only one. From the article in post 3:

"The political parties come into my community, they spend a few dollars, they think they can manipulate the vote," said Lafayette city councilman Louis Benjamin. "Personally, I'm ready to change my party affiliation. Independent, Republican, Democrat. What difference would it make to me?"

[JohnnyZ]

Cravins won't endorse, may sue party

Well THAT's interesting ....

Cravins won't endorse, may sue party; Blanco backing Melancon
11/17/2004, 10:51 a.m. CT
The Associated Press    

LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) — State Sen. Don Cravins, a Democrat who finished third in the race for Louisiana's 7th District seat in Congress, said he will not endorse anyone in the December runoff and may sue his party over its part in a flyer that he believes cost him a runoff spot.

http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louisiana/index.ssf?/base/news-12/1100710745175020.xml&storylist=louisiana

[JohnnyZ]

LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) — State Sen. Don Cravins, a Democrat who finished third in the race for Louisiana's 7th District seat in Congress, said he will not endorse anyone in the December runoff and may sue his party over its part in a flyer that he believes cost him a runoff spot.

[JohnnyZ]

Oh for Pete's sake ......

LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) — State Sen. Don Cravins, a Democrat
who finished third in the race for Louisiana's 7th
District seat in Congress, said he will not endorse
anyone in the December runoff and may sue his party
over its part in a flyer that he believes cost him a
runoff spot.

[Kuksool]

Party infighting seems to be a popular sport in the Bayou. Remember in 20002, Lee Fletcher and Clyde Halloway engaged in a jungle primary bloodbath which enabled Rodney Alexander to by 500+ votes in the LA-05. Ironic that the RATS would do the same thing in the LA-07.

[StJacques]

I watched Cravins' press conference on the nightly news here in Lafayette this evening. He displayed two items for the news media, which were smaller and larger versions of the same thing. The small one was a mailing that was sent out to African-American voters in the 7th congressional district. On one side of the handbill was a montage of pictures of individuals, only two of whom were white, all shown as "coming together" for the Democratic Party in the 7th congressional district. On the flip side were three names given to everyone to vote for as the "candidates of the Democratic Party" they would find on the ballot: John Kerry/John Edwards, Chris John (Dem who opposed David Vitter for Senate), and Willie Mount, the Democrat who just barely beat out Cravins for the December runoff spot versus Republican Charles Boustany. The larger item was a two-sided poster that had the same information as the handbill split between sides. Both items were paid for by the "Louisiana Democratic Party" whose name was shown at the bottom of each side of both the handbill and the poster. Cravins is alleging that since Mount was not the only Democrat in the race that this action violates the Voting Rights Act.

And for anyone who might not know it, Mount only beat out Cravins for the runoff spot by less than 1% of the total vote. Since Cravins is especially incensed that the party portrayed African-Americans as supporting Willie Mount and is raising the issue now, before the runoff election, this will clearly have the effect of depressing African-American turnout and hurts Mount more than many may realize.

I think Boustany is going to get it done. Look for Tauzin to win as well.