Free Republic

Louisiana's U.S. Senate candidates tangled over illegal immigration, the federal deficit and the role of money in politics Thursday during their final face-to-face meeting of a campaign that has grown increasingly nasty and personal as Election Day nears. The hour-long debate between Republican incumbent David Vitter and Democratic challenger Charlie Melancon featured some of the strongest attacks of the campaign, as Melancon repeatedly accused Vitter of hypocrisy and panelists pressed the senator on whether he broke the law when he committed a "serious sin" involving a Washington, D.C., prostitution ring. Vitter refused to go beyond his previous statements about the...

Boo freakin' hoo! The Louisiana Hispanic Chamber of Congress chick is mad because Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) dares to use the word "illegals" 4 times in his effective ad against an opponent (Charlie Melancon) who supported laws that help illegal aliens. Poor baby. The truth hurts. She also makes an absurd statement that "the majority of those here illegally are not even Latino". In fact, 61% are from Mexico alone. But compounding her error she goes after "blonde, blue eyed waitresses" supposedly from Eastern Europe. Uh, who's being "racist" now? Youtube Link HERE To see Sen. Vitter's great ad click...

Louisiana’s race for the U.S. Senate looks largely the same way it has since the beginning of the year, with incumbent Republican David Vitter continuing to earn over 50% of the vote in a state with unusually high Tea Party membership. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in Louisiana finds Vitter, who is seeking a second six-year term, with 53% support. His Democratic challenger, Congressman Charlie Melancon, picks up 35% of the vote. Three percent (3%) like some other candidate, and nine percent (9%) are undecided. In April, Vitter posted a similar lead over Melancon. Since January,...

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon has asked the chairman of BP to suspend performance bonuses indefinitely for the company's top executives and use those funds to assist Louisianians affected by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) was among the top beneficiaries of campaign donations from Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) leadership Political Action Committee during the second half of 2009, according to a bi-annual Federal Election Commission report filed Thursday. Landrieu dished out $10,000 to Reid, who is facing an increasingly tough re-election this cycle. Both those checks came in September before Landrieu became a key swing vote on the health care reform bill that was championed by Reid. Reid may also benefit down the road from a $5,000 donation Landrieu made to the Nevada State Democratic Party on Dec. 22,...

According to a report at CQPolitics.com today, Louisiana’s senior Senator Mary Landrieu has been busy cutting checks to help the fortunes of sagging Democrats around the country.

I am now very afraid of David Vitter. I am also very ashamed. I have publically wondered why the Democrats, the GOP, David Vitter and US Senate hopeful—Congressman Charlie Melancon had not given a statement concerning the very controversial and embarrassing Justice Bardwell incident. The Democrats and Melancon have since made comments denouncing the actions of the Louisiana Justice of the Peace. Today, for really the first time ever, I am serious beginning to question whether David Vitter is not a completely racially insensitive and not playing to the most ugly element of our state’s population for the purpose of...

BATON ROUGE -- More than a year before Louisiana voters head to the polls in what promises to be one of the most closely watched U.S. Senate races in the country, the rhetoric already is heating up between incumbent Republican David Vitter and his Democratic challenger, Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-Napoleonville. The standard political playbook says incumbent politicians should ignore their opponents as long as possible, as mentioning them by name only gives them free publicity. But Vitter, who is seeking a second term after becoming Louisiana's first Republican senator since Reconstruction in 2004, turned that theory on its head during...

Congressman Charlie Melancon today made official what has been anticipated for some time. He's running for U.S. Senate. "I'm announcing my candidacy for the U.S. Senate to replace David Vitter," Melancon said in a Youtube video he emailed to supporters. He describes himself as an anti-abortion, pro-gun centrist and a member of the "Blue Dog'' caucus of fiscally conservative Democrats in Congress. He doesn't attack Vitter in the announcement, but does say, "Louisiana deserves better." He adds that Louisiana needs "more honest" leadership. Melancon never specifically mentions Vitter's admitted "very serious sin" after his number showed up on the DC...

While [Senator David] Vitter is holding a series of town hall meetings across Louisiana, [Democrat Congressman Charlie] Melancon is deciding whether to challenge the incumbent Senator. If he runs, Melancon will have to deal with the relatively low approval rating for the Democratic Party’s top official, President Barack Obama, in Louisiana. Undoubtedly, he will find as many issues as possible to oppose the Obama administration. Melancon also faces a financial disadvantage against Vitter and will have a challenge matching the Senator’s fundraising success. To raise Democratic Party funds, Melancon recently attended a gathering in Martha’s Vineyard. Vitter wasted no time...

“If Charlie Melancon gets in and is well-funded, there’s the potential for a very tight race,” said Pearson Cross, a political science professor at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. State Democratic Party Chairman Chris Whittington said the prostitute issue will be front and center in the campaign, because Vitter will now be forced to answer questions he otherwise wouldn’t have. “He’s going to have to now,” Whittington said. “And it’s such a strong issue, because he banged that Bible and ran on family values, when in reality he’s completely the opposite of that.”

Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-La.) confirmed Friday that he is weighing a campaign against Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) in 2010, but he declined to confirm a report that said he was going to run. “Many Louisianans have encouraged me to run for U.S. Senate next year,” Melancon said in a statement. “I am discussing this opportunity with my wife and kids and will be making an announcement in the coming weeks.” LA Politics Weekly reported Thursday, citing anonymous sources, that Melancon had decided to enter the Senate race. The website is run by political analyst John Maginnis.

--- Melancon: We're in this together --- Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-Napoleonville, was saying last week that he can understand why some, including all House Republicans, opposed the giant stimulus package now awaiting President Barack Obama's signature. "What I don't understand are people like Rush Limbaugh saying he hopes this president won't succeed," Melancon said, just before casting the only Louisiana House vote for the nearly $790 billion package of new federal spending and tax cuts. "Because if President Obama fails on the economy, we all fail, and a lot of Americans will continue to suffer."

Melancon Votes for Massive Hurricane Disaster Assistance Bill Contact: Robin Winchell (202) 225-4031 March 23, 2007 WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon voted today for the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill, which would provide $6.4 billion in disaster relief for hurricane recovery along the Gulf Coast. The bill passed the House by only one vote. Rep. Melancon had worked with House leadership to include specific funding and waiver language in the supplemental to help expedite the recovery from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in south Louisiana. "People in south Louisiana are tired of waiting for help from their government," Rep. Melancon...

Melancon Versus Romero The Ind's breakdown of the 3rd Congressional District Race By Jeremy Alford | 10/25/2006 The campaign vehicle rolls down Main Street behind the Boucherie Festival’s junior miss queen and the mayor of Sorrento. Groups of people are scattered along the parade route, a mile apart along some stretches, and every time the white Suburban sees an occasional cluster of likely voters, the team goes into action. Three young staffers stuffed into the cargo area launch from the rear and affix campaign stickers to anything standing still. The candidate jumps out of the front seat with a bag...

BATON ROUGE, La. An official count from the 13 parishes comprising Louisiana's Third Congressional District shows Billy Tauzin the Third lost ground. Unofficial results from Saturday night's runoff between the Republican and Democrat Charles Melancon gave Melancon a 523-vote margin from more than 104-thousand votes cast. The parishes opened their voting machines this morning. A survey by The Associated Press determined that Tauzin lost 62 votes, while Melancon gained one vote. The parishes will send their tallies to the secretary of state, who will make the count official.

Boustany, Melancon top vote Tauzin III awaits final tally By PATRICK COURREGES and ANGELA SIMONEAUX Acadiana bureau Southern Louisiana voters Saturday appeared to have decided the last two congressional races in the nation, electing Democrat Charlie Melancon in the 3rd District and Republican Charles Boustany Jr. in the 7th District, giving the Democratic and Republican parties a split of the final two seats available. But the 3rd District race was decided by slightly more than 500 votes out of more than 114,000 cast, and 3rd District Republican candidate Billy Tauzin III is not conceding the race. In the 3rd District,...

Thougths, comments, concerns? One thought I have, if Tauzin III loses, he should be shot. If he wins, he should be given the worst possible committee assignment.

Congressional race dirtiest in recent years 2theadvocate.com staff From a report by WBRZ's Ken Pastorick The hotly contested race for Louisiana's 3rd congressional district seat has been called one of the state's dirtiest political races in recent history. Billy Tauzin is leaving Congress after 12 terms, and his son, Billy Tauzin III, and Charlie Melancon are battling it out over the airwaves. Both the Republican and Democratic national committees have poured millions into the campaign for advertising, mostly television spots of a very negative nature. But, the candidates aren’t holding back, either. One Tauzin ad proclaimed, "Charlie Melancon said he...

Romero won't endorse Tauzin or Melancon By The Associated Press NEW IBERIA -- Republican Craig Romero, who finished a strong third in the primary election for Congress to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Billy Tauzin Jr., said he will not endorse either candidate in the Dec. 4 runoff. Romero, a conservative state senator from New Iberia, finished behind fellow Republican Billy Tauzin III and Democrat Charlie Melancon in the Nov. 2 primary. Tauzin of Houma had 32 percent of the vote and Melancon of Napoleonville had 24 percent, edging out Romero's 23 percent. Romero said he was still angry at the...