Congressional Race {Melancon v. Tauzin} Dirtiest in Recent Years {Louisiana, Dec. 4}

Baton Rouge, LA, Morning Advocate ^ | 11-24-04 | Ken Pastorick

[Theodore R.]

Congressional race dirtiest in recent years

2theadvocate.com staff From a report by WBRZ's Ken Pastorick

The hotly contested race for Louisiana's 3rd congressional district seat has been called one of the state's dirtiest political races in recent history. Billy Tauzin is leaving Congress after 12 terms, and his son, Billy Tauzin III, and Charlie Melancon are battling it out over the airwaves.

Both the Republican and Democratic national committees have poured millions into the campaign for advertising, mostly television spots of a very negative nature.

But, the candidates aren’t holding back, either.

One Tauzin ad proclaimed, "Charlie Melancon said he was a moderate, then President Bush won, and he claims to be a conservative. Don't be fooled."

Melancon said the negative ads have gotten out of control.

"That's not the kind of thing the people want," Melancon said. "The people want us to talk about the issues, so I'm trying to talk about the issues while they make a mockery of my voting record and my legislative record."

In a news release, Republican Tauzin said, "Our ads are completely factual. Charlie Melancon initiated the negative attacks, despite a pledge not to do so."

Melancon has also launched attack ads.

In one, the ad says, "Little Billy Tauzin's not ready to fill the shoes of a congressman."

Tauzin said, "This is another attempt by Charlie Melancon to divert attention away from his own record of raising taxes. He also conveniently forgets to tell anyone he first ran for office at 28, yet he's trying to make my age an issue."

As reported Nov. 24 on WBRZ's news telecasts. If you have any information or comments related to this story, e-mail news@wbrz.com.

[jmaroneps37]

If the writer really thinks these "attacks are dirty" je is a dope and obviously has not seen any of move-on's spots.

[Theodore R.]

Here is more info on both LA races set for Dec. 4.

Boustany, Mount to meet; Tauzin, Melancon spar over taxes


By The Associated Press
Republican Charles Boustany and Democrat Willie Mount, candidates for southwest Louisiana's congressional seat, are expected to make appearances together before the Opelousas Rotary Club on Tuesday.
Each candidate will be given five minutes to speak and then will take questions from the audience. Only invited guests of Rotary Club members may attend.

The two face each other in the Dec. 4 runoff for the 7th U.S. Congressional District seat.

Boustany, a retired surgeon, has been concentrating his campaign in St. Landry Parish in recent days, the home turf of state Sen. Don Cravins, D-Arnaudville. Cravins narrowly lost a shot at the runoff, losing to state Sen. Willie Mount, D-Lake Charles, in the Nov. 2 primary election by 1,700 votes.

Cravins, who is black, chose not to endorse fellow Democrat Mount because of his displeasure with the state Democratic Party's partial funding of a flier targeting black voters and endorsing Mount.

Meanwhile, the candidates for Louisiana's 3rd Congressional District seat are sparring over taxes.

Democrat Charlie Melancon accuses Republican Billy Tauzin III of supporting a national sales tax. Tauzin responds that he doesn't support such a tax.

In ads and on the stump, Melancon accuses Tauzin of backing a 23 percent sales tax "on everything." The Democrat said such a tax would disproportionately affect lower-income families.

Melancon said he is basing his comments on Tauzin's stance on Tauzin's comments about the tax at an Oct. 19 forum in Houma and on a bill currently filed in the U.S. House of Representatives laying out a 23 percent national sales tax.

Tauzin said he has never supported such a tax. Parts of past sales tax proposals appeal to him, he said, such as abolishing certain taxes or getting rid of the IRS.

"I prefer simplifying our tax code," Tauzin said.

Taxes are also at the heart of attacks on Melancon. Republican ads paint the Democrat as a tax-loving liberal along the lines of Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy.

Tauzin and Melancon face each other in the Dec. 4 runoff election to replace Tauzin's father, retiring U.S. Rep. Billy Tauzin Jr. The 3rd District covers 13 parishes across southeast and south central Louisiana.