Republican Kirt Bennett Looks Beyond Novelty to Issues in LA Lieutenant Governor's Race

The Alexandria, LA, Daily Town Talk ^ | 05-23-03 | Sutherland, Eugene

[Theodore R.]

The novelty has worn off; he is in this for real.

The message of Kirt Bennett, a Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, was clear during a campaign stop Friday at P.J.'s Coffee and Tea Co.

"What I like is that, as a black Republican candidate for this office, there, at first, was focus on this being a novelty (campaign). But I think the focus has shifted to the issues." Bennett said. "The novelty was not going to win this election."

[Theodore R.]

One of the leading Democrats seeking this office is State Rep. Mitch Landrieu, brother of popular Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-LA. Were Bennett to be Landrieu's general election opponent, we could see the possibility of an overwhelming majority of blacks voting for the "white" Landrieu and a majority, but not overwhelming, of whites voting for the "black" Bennnett. "Landrieu" has become a LA political dynasty over the past thirty years. People in LA "believe" in the Landrieus.

[JohnnyZ]

Ex Lt Gov Melinda Schwegmann is also running for the Democrats. Hopefully she and Landrieu will split up Democrats enough that Bennett will be the top vote-getter in the "primary" and have momentum going into the runoff.

[Theodore R.]

It may be that Schwegmann will be overshadowed by current Lt. Governor Blanco, seeking the governorship. And Schsegmann will have to divide the New Orelans base with Landrieu. I think Landrieu will get nearly all of the black vote. Black people in LA think of the Landrieus in the same vein as they do the Clintons. I think Bennett will get less than 5 percent of the black vote. So, you may be right in watching Schwegmann. There could be a Schwegmann-Landrieu general election and a Blanco-Ieyoub gubernatorial contest: all Democrat for the top two offices. There has been recent "talk" that defeated Senate candidate Suzenne Haik Terrell may seek the vacant attorney general's post.