I’ve read good things about Scalise. He was elected to the state Senate, which helps his name I.D., but could open him up to charges of office-hopping.
I don’t know anything about the other Republicans thinking of running.
True, but it could also be explained that since elections are held at an off-kilter time in LA, an even “greater” opportunity to serve the people came up. If he wins and remains past the next redistricting (where LA will probably drop to 6 House members), he might conceivably be merged in with the NOLA House seat, since they’ll have to greatly expand into the suburbs to make up for the population drop.