LA GOP Stresses Voter Turnout in Bid to Hold Landrieu below 50 Percent

Monroe (LA) News-Star | 11-04-02 | Staff Reports

[Theodore R.]

Candidates count down pre-vote hours Posted on November 4, 2002 With one day left before Election Day, Louisiana's senate candidates have all scheduled cross-state jaunts to court the last of the undecided voters.

"We're starting Monday off in Monroe at 9 a.m., and (we'll) start a fly-around tour of the state," said Gary Brown, spokesman for State Rep. Tony Perkins, R-Pride. "We plan to hit all the major cities in the state on Monday."

Perkins is one of three Republicans - U.S. Rep. John Cooksey of Monroe and Commissioner of Elections Suzanne Haik Terrell of New Orleans are the others - who hope to unseat U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-New Orleans.

Landrieu also plans to begin today in the northern part of the state. She'll start the morning in Shreveport, move on to Grambling, and then head south to end the day with a stop in New Orleans.

"The senator is confident that she has a good chance to win on Tuesday," Landrieu spokesman Rich Masters said. "But if not, she's ready to win in December."

Terrell plans to canvass the Baton Rouge area today, hoping to sway undecided voters.

"We really feel that voter turnout will determine who wins," Terrell said. "We're going to be asking everyone to vote and telling them to tell their friends and family members to vote."

Cooksey also plans to start the day in Baton Rouge, sweeping the East Baton Rouge area before heading to Metairie and Orleans parishes.

"On Tuesday, he's (Cooksey) going to concentrate on the 5th District," said Cooksey spokesman Brent Lancaster. "That's his base, where he's most popular, so he'll be concentrating on getting the vote out there."

Other candidates in the race are Raymond Brown, D-New Orleans; Ernest Skillman Jr., R-Baton Rouge; Gary Robbins, L-Sulphur; Patrick "Live Wire" Landry, I-Jefferson Parish; and James Lemann, I-New Orleans.

[Paleo Conservative]

If Landrieu loses, I wonder if the RATS will want to abolish their current system and allow each party to field only one candidate for the general election.

[Theodore R.]

No, this system was created by the Democrat "boss" of LA: Edwin Washington Edwards, currently an involuntary resident of Fort Worth, TX. "Boss" Edwards beleieved that his system would eradicate the Republicans before they became competitive in LA.

[JameRetief]

Question, (not that I think it is likely in this election, but...) What if Landrieu came in third on election day? Would the contest still be between the two top candidates (i.e., a runoff between two Republicans)?

[lsucat]

The runoff would be between the top two candidates, regardless of party affiliation. We happen to have a local race (just outside of New Orleans) where two republicans came in at the top, with a democrat coming in third. The two republicans will face off in the runoff tomorrow.

[Theodore R.]

Yes, the "general election" would be between the top two candidates, regardless of party. However, Edwin Washingon Edwards envisioned most future general elections to be between two Democrats. As it turned out, Republicans often got into a general election with Democrats but usually lost the contest. The LA congressional races on Nov. 5 are technically "primaries."

In the 5th Congressional District, two Republicans could wind up in a Dec. 7 runoff, but it is expected that the Democrat Rodney Alexander will lead the pack and enter a runoff with former Rep. Clyde Holloway, R-LA.

[Scuttlebutt]

What if Landrieu came in third on election day? Would the contest still be between the two top candidates (i.e., a runoff between two Republicans)?

It ain't gonna happen but, yes, the runoff would be between the top two candidates regardless of party affiliation.