Fosters Endorses Cooksey for Landrieu Senate Seat

Shreveport, LA ,Times | 08-24-02 | AP

[Theodore R.]

Foster will not run for U.S. Senate The Associated Press Posted on August 24, 2002 BATON ROUGE - Republican Gov. Mike Foster turned down President George W. Bush's request that he run for the U.S. Senate against Democrat Mary Landrieu this fall.

Foster's decision Friday came after days of pressure from friends and calls from Bush. The president felt that Foster was the party's best chance to wrest the seat from Landrieu and perhaps move the Senate to a Republican majority.

[Theodore R.]

As expected Governor Foster will remain in LA and not at 72 seek to become a freshman senator. He also probably knew that LA's Democrat heritage makes Landrieus reelection at least a 75 percent probability. His endorsement may help Cooksey, but Cooksey rarely tops 20 percent in most LA polls. Many in LA do not know Cooksey, but they recognize Mary Landrieu Snellings.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Put Foster in the race and he'd have a 50:50 shot of beating her without a runoff. Mary Landrieu isn't a strong incumbent-- her opponents are just very weak. Oh well. I never wanted a GOP Senate anyway (trying to see if "sour grapes" helps me to deal with this disappointment).

[winin2000]

Oh well. I never wanted a GOP Senate anyway (trying to see if "sour grapes" helps me to deal with this disappointment).

Sort of like Racicot in Montana. Two Senate seats that could have been ours for taking.

Though IMHO, Racicot is currently invaluable as RNC Chairman. When the two appear on TV, the contrast between his likable, softspoken persona and McAuliffe's bombastic blather through that god-awful, nasal, New York accent of his couldn't be more a favorable one for the GOP!

[WFTR]

I don't think that Louisiana's Democrat heritage is the big issue that you suggest. The state supported President Bush in 2000, has elected Governor Foster twice, and has several Republican Congressmen. Landrieu was just barely elected in 1996, and this time she won't have a presidential election to draw less interested voters to the polls.

Dr. Cooksey probably could have been a good candidate even after his "diaperhead" comment, but the national party abandoned him so quickly that his campaign never gained any momentum. I don't know whether Governor Foster's endorsement will help.

I'm going to support Tony Perkins at least as far as November. I like his stands on the issues, and his campaign was willing to answer my e-mails. Dr. Cooksey's campaign never answered e-mail. I think Mrs. Terrell is just a distraction to keep unthinking women voters from automatically voting for Landrieu because she's a woman. Maybe she can draw enough votes to force the run-off.

WFTR
Bill

[Theodore R.]

I think that the LA voter registration is 2/3 Democrat. The Democrat heritage is entrenched but has been seriously weakened in recent years at the U.S. House level. Most local offices are contested only by Democrats. Old habits do die hard.