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Happy Election Day New Orleans ... this morning, y'all have the opportunity to vote in one of the last federal elections of this incredible 2008, as well as a Senate District 3 election featuring an outsider and a son of a New Orleans political dynasty.
The Congressional race is between Dollar Bill Jefferson and his dishonest Republican opponent, Joe Cao. Adrastos makes a good point that both our fathers taught us ... if someone spends time telling you that they are honest, they're usually lying. By the way, you're gonna wanna click on the link to Adrastos ... he's some nice pictures of the mailers that the Republicans are putting out there for Cao.
For instance, Cao was on Jeff Crouere's radio show yesterday, and another NOLA Blogger, Daniel Z., called in to ask Cao about the Family Research Council endorsement he received. (For those of you who don't know the FRC, it was started by James Dobson, and the Louisiana chapter is run by Tony Perkins ... who is considering a 2010 primary challenge against Vitter). Here's Daniel Z's account of the exchange:
So when I had the opportunity to ask him three questions I asked him:
A) Did you actively seek the endorsement of the FRC?
B) Do you accept the endorsement of the FRC?
C) Do you agree with the ideals of the FRC?
He answered the first answer truthfully. However, on the other two questions, he danced around the answer by saying how he does support the family and many people in this area support families. Well, that argument is like saying "I am a patriot so of course I support the Patriot Act". And because he answered like a typical politician, and did not reject the extremist conservative ideals of the FRC.
I have a hard time believing that a Republican candidate running for office in Louisiana doesn't have an idea who the FRC is. For some reason, Oyster thinks Cao is a "babe in the woods." You don't get into bed with the LA GOP and not know who the FRC is, Oyster. Sorry.
Dollar Bill is crooked. Everyone knows that. But he is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. While his lawyers are playing the delay game by asking the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals to hear his appeal of the trial court's refusal to dismiss the case en banc, and then will likely appeal that to the Supreme Court, I am confident that at some point next year, Bill Jefferson will be convicted.
But that does not mean I want a Family Research Council supported candidate representing New Orleans for the next two years, regardless of what he claims is a progressive agenda. He will not be voting in favor of EFCA. Dollar Bill, if still in office, will.
On the State Senate race, J.P. Morrell is the son of former State Senator Arthur Morrell, who now serves as the Criminal Court Clerk and City Councilwoman Cynthia Hedge-Morrell. Shawn Barney is a financial consultant who grew up in New Orleans. His father was the head of the New Orleans chapter of the Urban League.
This is a Democratic district, so both candidates will be good on the issues. I get the feeling that J.P. Morrell is facing the heat of a well-run Barney campaign, as his campaign is likely the culprit behind the rumor that "Jefferson convinced Barney to run to boost turnout in the black precincts of New Orleans." The rumor troubled the Barney campaign enough to blast out a press release disputing the allegations:
At a time when his district lies devastated and our economy is in shambles, J.P. Morrell is smearing Shawn Barney to distract the voters from the fact that Morrell represents more of the same. It is an absolute lie that Congressman Jefferson convinced Shawn Barney to stay in the race for State Senate District 3 despite Morrell's endorsements by the old political establishment.
Mr. Morrell is scared because despite the fact that the status quo is supporting him, his increasingly desperate campaign to protect his family's dynasty is not resonating with voters.
Morrell is out of touch, therefore he is resorting to dirty tricks to hide from the voters of District 3 the fact that his only accomplishment while in office was his vote to give himself a 200% pay raise. Shawn Barney is a fresh face with new ideas who has brought millions of dollars in private redevelopment to District 3, while creating over 100 jobs in the metro area. J.P. Morrell may be a self described avid video game player, but he is not a serious candidate for public office.
Ouch ... Morrell voted to give himself a raise during the first go-round by the legislators in the legislative pay raise debacle? Talk about being short-sighted.
I'll be live-blogging the results this evening. Check back here at 8 PM CST.
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