Kennedy will face GOP challenge in Senate bid

Dolan Media ^ | 22 April 08 | Jeff Crouere

[LSUfan]

NEW ORLEANS, LA -- State Treasurer John Kennedy is the only announced Republican candidate in the Senate race this fall.

The GOP views incumbent Democrat Sen. Mary Landrieu of New Orleans as vulnerable.

In her re-election victories of 1996 and 2002, Landrieu won by slim margins. Since that time, the Louisiana's demographics have changed because of Hurricane Katrina, making the state more Republican-friendly. Can Kennedy beat Landrieu? If the election took place today, Landrieu would win, at least according to a new poll conducted by Bernie Pinsonat of Southern Media and Opinion Research. The poll finds Landrieu with a 70- percent approval rating, ahead of Kennedy by a comfortable margin of 50 to 38 percent.

Landrieu also leads in fundraising with a campaign war chest of about $4.5 million. Kennedy, who will benefit from an upcoming fundraiser headlined by President Bush, has about $2 million.

In the upcoming race, Kennedy is considered a strong opponent, even though he switched to the GOP just recently after being personally encouraged by former White House Political Director Karl Rove. Kennedy spent his political career as a Democrat and finished a disappointing third the 2004 Senate race.

During that campaign, Kennedy ran to the left of former Congressman Chris John and the eventual winner, David Vitter. Kennedy was supported by Congressman Bill Jefferson and his political organization, the Progressive Democrats.

Kennedy's Democratic background will be an issue in the Senate Republican primary this fall when he will be challenged from the right by conservative businessman Paul Hollis of Mandeville.

Hollis, 36, is a first-time candidate and the son of former state Sen. Ken Hollis of Metairie. He has spent his career in the rare coin industry, getting his start with Blanchard and Co. of New Orleans, one of the nation's largest rare coin firms. Later, he hosted "The Coin Vault," a nationally televised program that reached 60 million homes on the Shop at Home television network. He eventually started his own coin firm, specializing in ancient coins that circulated during the lifetime of Jesus Christ.

Hollis is a fiscal and social conservative who will run to the right of Kennedy on most of the major issues in the campaign. He will focus on his 18-year history in the Republican Party and contrast that with Kennedy's recent conversion. He is prepared to personally invest in the campaign and says he has the ability to raise significant funds from his contacts across the state and country.

He should make a formal announcement in the next few weeks, giving the Republicans an unexpected choice in the race. Kennedy will be a strong favorite with his funding and party support, but Hollis will make the race interesting and potentially competitive.

[RatSlayer]

“I wish someone would run on a third party ticket and change her name to Mary Jo Kopechne.”

How about running as “katrina” instead??

[The Ghost of Rudy McRomney]

I thought the title meant the swinner, too, but it wouldn’t matter if it did. Big head Ted is in for life-until he dies. I seriously doubt he’ll ever retire. I’m 66-my greatest hope is that I outlive that murdering gasbag bastard.

[xJones]

Darn it, the title got my hopes up.

We both had the same hopes from reading the thread title, but my thoughts were a little stronger than "darn it", when I read the article and realized this wasn't about the Shamu from Chappaquiddick.

[Dengar01]

Very misleading headline to say the least. This Kennedy is a GOP member and will be facing a challenge from a Democrat incumbent not one from the GOP. The “GOP challenge” the title refers to is apparently the fact that this particular Kennedy recently switched to the GOP and does not have strong Republican credentials. Besides being worded in a hopelessly confusing fashion, this “challenge” is barely mentioned in the article itself. Come on people, this is basic high school journalism, the title should represent the main idea of a story, not the sidebar idea that was on the author’s mind at the time they picked their title - Sheesh don’t editors even look at what’s submittted to them any more?

Agreed. Terrible headline. I think 90% of FReepers including myself thought this article was referring to Ted Kennedy, not some RINO in LA, please correct.

Thanks

[Gilbo_3]

They sell Scotch in Safeway ???

[MaggieCarta]

Sheesh, don’t editors even look at what’s submitted to them any more?

Maybe. Actually, as I read the article, the GOP challenge seems to be coming from someone named Hollis, who "will run to the right of Kennedy." So, really, the headline is correct.

[Redbob]

If ever there were a poorly-worded title, that one is it.

I tuned in expecting to find that Teddy Kennedy was facing a GOP opponent in Massachusetts.