Posted on 03/21/2021 3:46:34 AM PDT by cotton1706
CBS News projects that Republican Julia Letlow will win the special election for Louisiana's 5th district, taking over the would-be seat of her late husband, Luke Letlow, who died of COVID-19 complications days before he could be sworn in.
She will be the first Republican woman to represent Louisiana in Congress, and will boost the number of Republican women currently serving in the house to a record 31.
"This is an incredible moment and it is truly hard to put into words," Letlow said in a statement Saturday night. "What was born out of the terrible tragedy of losing my husband, Luke, has become my mission in his honor to carry the torch and serve the good people of Louisiana's 5th District. I am humbled that you would entrust me with the honor of your vote and the privilege to serve you in Congress. A simple thank you doesn't fully encapsulate the depth of my gratitude."
Letlow was endorsed by both former President Donald Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence, as well as House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Whip Steve Scalise. Potential 2024 Republican candidate and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley also endorsed her.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
It’s a safe seat, the only question is RINO or real Republican. As I recall I had doubts about the dead guy so who knows about the widow, since her husband died young, supposedly of Wuhan, she might be twisted on that issue at least. She was given a free ride by other Republicans.
Widows have been very successful succeeding (or replacing in this case since he died before taking office, I can’t recall the last Rep-Elect to die) their husbands, I kinda view the phenomenon negatively.
Thank you. I can always count on you to not only know the seat but the history.
I recall one who was elected but died before being sworn in was Rep-elect and Astronaut Jack Swigert (R-CO) in 1982. His replacement in the Spring 1983 Special Election was State Sen. Dan Schaefer (R).
On some occasions before the widows replaced the husbands when they died in office, it was the sons. One instance had a brother replacing another: Rep. William P. Connery (D-MA) died at 48 after 14 years in the House in 1937. The younger brother, Laurence, who was his Chief Administrative Assistant, won the special at just 42. He served just 4 years and died 2 days after his 46th birthday in 1941 from a heart attack. Their father, conversely, a former Mayor of Lynn (William, Sr.) lived to 73.
You’re welcome. I try.
Yes, before Letlow, Swigert in 1982 was the most recent Representative-elect to die prior to being able to take office; before Swigert, one has to go back to 1931: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_members-elect_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives_who_never_took_their_seats
Correct, it’s not impossible for GOP to win the special election in the Albuquerque-based NM-01 (particularly if the Green Party runs a strong candidate). But it’s also not impossible for the RAT to win in TX-06, which is in the Democrat-trending DWF area. The GOP presidential nominee’s percentage victory margin in TX-06 has gone from 17.1% in 2012 to 12.3% in 2016 to a mere 3.0% in 2020. I’m sure that the GOP legislature will shore up the district in redistricting, but the special election will take place under the current lines.
We’ll see whether Julia Letlow votes as a conservative; I’ve always been apprehensive about electing widows to their late husband’s seat, and the Letlows don’t give me the warm and fuzzies. If I lived in LA-05, I would have been one of the 0.32% who voted for Sancha Smith: https://www.hannapub.com/ouachitacitizen/news/local_state_headlines/smith-touts-biblical-worldview-in-campaign-for-5th-district/article_300ae00e-872b-11eb-ba99-ef03c64a3552.html
I thought there were a couple or 3 in 1931, I guess the others that died had all been sitting Reps.
Matthew Vincent O’Malley, lol, elected to replace a guy that was reelected that died soon after, only to die himself during the long layover (Terms began in March but at the time Congress didn’t actually go into session until December, 13 months after the election, I never quite figured out the reason for that absurdity, something to do with planting season and the harvest?)
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