Third Runner-Up {David Thibodeaux} Endorses {Charles} Boustany for Congress {Louisiana}

Baton Rouge, LA, Morning Advocate ^ | 11-20-04 | Courreges, Patrick

[Theodore R.]

Third runner-up endorses Boustany for Congress

By PATRICK COURREGES pcourreges@theadvocate.com Acadiana bureau

LAFAYETTE -- The last holdout among candidates who finished out of the runoff in the Nov. 2 election for Louisiana's 7th Congressional District seat announced his intentions Friday.

David Thibodaux, a Lafayette Republican who finished fourth in the initial race with 10 percent of the vote, announced his endorsement of fellow Lafayette Republican Charles Boustany Jr. who is running against state Sen. Willie Mount, D-Lake Charles on Dec. 4.

"For whatever it's worth, whatever I can bring to the table, it's yours, my friend," Thibodaux told Boustany at a lunch meeting of Lafayette's Republican parish executive committee.

Boustany led the Nov. 2 vote with 39 percent, while Mount narrowly made the runoff, taking 25 percent of the vote.

State Sen. Don Cravins, D-Arnaudville, finished third with about 25 percent of the vote as well, but trailed Mount by about 1,700 votes. Lafayette Democrat Malcolm Carriere took 2 percent of the Nov. 2 vote.

Carriere has endorsed Mount, and Cravins, angered by what he considers interference by his own state party, has refused to endorse anyone.

Carriere made his call quickly, while Cravins didn't announce his intentions until Wednesday, and Thibodaux waited until Friday, and said he had spoken to both remaining candidates.

Thibodaux also had voiced unhappiness with his party's handling of the Nov. 2 race, but said his longstanding friendship with and respect for Boustany led him to support his party's candidate.

Thibodaux said that Boustany had backed him in his previous runs for the 7th District seat, and that Boustany, a retired heart surgeon, once treated him while he was in intensive care following a car accident.

"We never got a bill," Thibodaux said.

He said that Boustany also once took a call late at night when one of Thibodaux's children had been diagnosed with a heart problem, and helped set Thibodaux's mind at ease about what was happening.

"I don't forget things like that," Thibodaux said.

Boustany said Thibodaux ran a good campaign.

"David, you're magnanimous, you're a statesman," Boustany said.

Thibodaux is also a member of the Lafayette Parish School Board and represents District 7.

[Bogey78O]

Here's to hope.

[JohnnyZ]

Boustany should be favored in the runoff.

Tauzin is in a tight race in the 3rd but should be able to pull that one off too.

[WFTR]

Thanks for the good news in the 7th. I may send another check to Dr. Boustany, and I'd urge other Freepers to do the same. I'm a little concerned about the 3rd because there has been quite a bit of division between Billy Tauzin's supporters and those who had supported Craig Romero. I'm afraid that Craig Romero isn't going to follow David Thibodaux's example. We've started campaigning for Mr. Tauzin, and we are getting some positive results.

Bill

[Kuksool]

I hope Jindal, Vitter, and even President Bush will visit the La-07 and La-03 to give the Republicans a big bounce in the runoff next month.