I write today with mixed feelings about this campaign season. While I am elated that this nation has seen fit to send Barack Obama to the White House, I am not surprised that Louisiana did not put her 9 Electoral Votes in Mr. Obama's column. I am however, looking into buying a "Don't Blame Me, I Voted For Obama" bumper sticker for my car when I go out of state in it.
I am elated that Senator Mary Landrieu won her campaign relatively easily. Did you notice that you can drop Orleans Parish from the totals, and she STILL would have won? This means that no Democrat running a state-wide campaign from here on out should even think about not running a state-wide field operation. That field operation, which contacted many Democrats for the first time in years(!), gave Senator Landrieu her impressive margin.
I am not surprised that Jim Harlan lost in LA-01. It's unfortunate, but the results of this election show that there is much, much, much more work to be done. I don't anticipate seeing a Democrat elected in that district for some time to come.
I am incredibly upset about the result in LA-06. I'll have more to write on this one later, but suffice it to say that I hope someone out there sees fit to give Mr. Cassidy hell for the next two years by starting a blog marking his every move for the next two years, to make it a little easier for any Democrat that decides to run against Mr. Cassidy in two years in terms of opposition research. Here's one such example of a fine blog tracking a Republican Member of Congress.
I am disappointed in the result in LA-07. But I am optimistic about State Senator Don Cravins, Jr. I think he has a future in the Democratic Party of this state since he's only 38, and the fact that he started the campaign LATE. Hopefully, if he decides to run again, he'll start the fundraising process in January, and continue to meet with voters throughout the 7th District during the two years.
One of the things that stands out to me about this election season is that the candidates that tried to out-Republican the real Republicans in their races LOST. Mr. Harlan, Mr. Cazayoux, Mr. Cravins, Jr ... all ran ads emphasizing their pro-life, pro-gun views. That's all good and fine ONCE.
In LA-01, all of Mr. Harlan's ads mentioned that he was pro-life and pro-gun.
In LA-06, quite a few of Mr. Cazayoux's ads mentioned his conservative views. This is NOT a completely conservative district. Yes, the voters are culturally conservative, but they will vote for a pro-union Democrat. A majority of them did on Tuesday.
In LA-07, Mr. Cravins ran four ads - 2 focusing on him ... one on his conservative views, and the other on how he's a church-going man.
The Republican playbook is to smear Democrats on the cultural issues. There is nothing we can do about that. They're going to do it even when it is obvious that the Democratic candidate has the same views on the cultural issues as the Republican does! Focus on why you're a Democrat. Remind people that there are other issues to consider ... like the economy, health care, the environment, and on and on. And do it not only on the stump, where few voters see you, but also on television.
The results in our congressional elections affirm Howard Dean's message of 2004: If voters are given a choice between a Republican and Republican-lite, they'll choose the real Republican every single time.
A couple of observations ... LA-01 needs to be redrawn before we can consider it being competitive.
LA-07 ... Cravins did a great job for a first time candidate that started LATE. If he decides to run in 2010, he's got to start in January with the fundraising, and make sure he has $1 million to drop, if not more.
LA-06 ... Congratulations, Mr. Cassidy. You can thank Michael Jackson and L. Lane Grigsby for your victory. If you add Jackson and Cazayoux's total, you get 11,623 votes more than Cassidy, and I'm sure that 90% of Jackson's total would have gone to Cazayoux.
The last post until my thoughts of being a poll watcher tomorrow afternoon sometime. Without further ado:
President: Barack Obama LA-Senate: Mary Landrieu LA-01: Jim Harlan LA-02: Vote your conscience LA-04: Vote your conscience LA-06: Don Cazayoux LA-07: Don Cravins, Jr.
EBR Bond: This is an important issue for the future of Baton Rouge. The downtown core needs to be revitalized, and this will help ensure that it is. Vote YES.
New Orleans DA: Both campaigns have gotten down and dirty as of late. As a future lawyer, I have to give more credibility to the fact that District Attorneys across the region have endorsed Capitelli. But his campaign just smeared Cannizaro this afternoon with door hangers linking him to Jefferson. Vote your conscience.
New Orleans Charter Change: This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen on any ballot anywhere. They want the voters of New Orleans to agree to changing the City Charter, but they won't tell the voters how it will be changed. Vote NAY.
Amendment # 1: This amendment would impose term limits on state boards and commissions - the Board of Education and Secondary Education (BESE), Civil Service Commission, the State Police Commission, some other appointed boards of higher education, the Forestry Commission and the Public Service Commission.
I am in general, against term limits, because they tend to concentrate power in the hands of the special interests, who will often write the legislation and find a legislator to introduce it. In this state, that means the corporations and the right-wing fundamentalist Christian groups.
By the way, you really want to help Entergy ram their proposals through the PSC, rather than get blocked by consumer advocates like Foster Campbell? I think not. Also, I don't trust Governor PBJ that much ... I think he's doing it to consolidate power within his Administration even more. If you're conservative, do you really want to see a liberal have that much power? I don't think so. Vote NAY.
Amendment # 2: This amendment would require that the Governor give seven days notice of special legislative sessions, rather than the current five.
While there was some grumbling about Governor Jindal's call for the second special session on a Friday afternoon, folks knew it was coming. Vote NAY.
Amendment # 3: This amendment would establish a procedure for naming "temporary" legislators to fill in for those called to active military duty for more than 180 days.
This happens rarely. But it is happening for State Rep. Nick Lorusso (R-New Orleans), who was called up for one year, and it starts in the spring. While I applaud Mr. Lorusso's service to the nation, I don't much like the idea of changing the state Constitution to benefit one legislator. Vote your conscience.
Amendment # 4: This amendment would, over time, give parishes that have oil, gas and mineral production a greater share of the severance tax. It will also dedicate some of the severance tax collected from state lands to the Atchafalaya Basin Conservation Fund.
The parishes could put the money to better use than the state currently does. And more money to preserve one of the state's environmental gems? Vote YES.
Amendment # 5: This amendment would allow a homeowner over the age of 65 or in the military whose assessment is frozen to transfer the frozen assessment to another home if the home is taken by the government or sold to them for public use purposes.
Seems fair to me ... they lose their home for the public good, these folks should be protected. Vote YES.
Amendment # 6: This amendment deals with some slop work, as a law professor of mine would say, committed by the State Legislature in the aftermath of Kelo v. New London, a Supreme Court case in which the Court said it is constitutional for a state to take property for economic purposes, thereby equating economic purposes with the public good. The "slop work" limited the authority of state and local government in Louisiana to transfer "blighted" property to private parties. This amendment would remove the restriction of transferring "blighted" properties to new owners.
This is a NOLA based amendment, y'all. Proponents say it will help recovery efforts in New Orleans. I'm not so sure ... I don't trust the big real estate developers that much, nor the New Orleans City Council. I voted NAY. Vote your conscience.
Amendment # 7: This amendment would allow public entities to invest post-employment benefits in the stock market.
Supposedly they would be barred from investing pensions. I think they're insane to invest ANYTHING dealing with retirement in the stock market ... because a downturn can and will happen. Vote NAY.
Last week, Congressman Steny Hoyer, the Majority Leader of the United States House of Representatives came to Louisiana to attend a fundraiser for Don Cravins, Jr., who is running for Congress from LA-07.
Another fellow blogger at the Daily Advertiser, the local paper of Lafayette, was at the event, and had this to say:
[Rep. Hoyer] shared with us, a rather impressive group of folks assembled at the Petroleum Club, that he came to Louisiana and specifically to this district because he knows how terribly under-represented we have been by our current Congressman, Dr. Charles Boustany.
In the room was former Congressman Chris John throwing his support behind Don Cravins - and Steny Hoyer made a point of stating that while he worked with Chris for all those years, he often saw Chris at opposite sides of issues. Chris represented this district, just as Don will. Congressman Hoyer spoke to the lack luster performance of our current congressman, and then gave a ringing endorsement of Don Cravins, Jr.
He said he is making this endorsement knowing that, much like with Chris John, he would be on opposite sides on some issues, but he knows that Don will represent this district well, and always be sure to represent the DISTRICT.
There FIVE days left. Leave it all on the field. Volunteer. Donate.
Believe me folks, I've been on the losing end of a campaign where we lost by 3,700 votes, and on the winning end of a campaign where we won by 2,100 votes. Winning is SO MUCH BETTER.
Your vote matters. The vote of your family and friends matter. The votes of your neighbors matter.
You don't want to wake up the morning after the election wondering what more YOU could have done. LEAVE IT ALL ON THE FIELD.
Traditionally, the way Democratic candidates have won in LA-07 is that they are from the Lafayette portion of the district, so they can keep it close there, and then they run up the score in Lake Charles, which is a union-friendly town.
Well, Lord Boustany knows this, which is why he's limiting his appearances with Don Cravins, Jr. to the Lafayette portion of the district. The Lord of Lafayette knows that if he appears in a televised debate with Cravins in Lake Charles, the race gets a little too close for his comfort.
It's also why Don Cravins challenged Lord Boustany to a televised debate in Lake Charles the other night at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette debate:
"The people of the western part of the district deserve to hear from the candidates. Peter Vidrine and I have agreed to attend, but Charles Boustany has not. If he doesn't think that people still hurting from Hurricanes Ike, Gustav and Rita don't deserve a true debate than he is horribly mistaken. It would be disrespectful of him not to attend."
Well, Election Day is almost here. It starts tomorrow, folks, thanks to early voting, which occurs today (the 21st) through Saturday (the 25th), and then again on Monday (the 27th) and Tuesday (the 28th). I am convinced that the more folks that vote early, the less problems (if any) there will be on November 4th.
If you want to help boost turnout in Louisiana, you can follow this handy checklist that the Louisiana Obama team came up with:
October 21
Your first task is for you yourself to go and vote the first day of early voting. Find your local Registrars office and get a friend to go with you.
October 22
The next task is for you to send a message to everyone about early voting in your email lists especially if you have multiple emails. Also, if you are a part of social networks like facebook or myspace send messages out to friends on those networks and create early voting events.
October 23
Before the weekend rush of so many businesses we want to deliver some flyers to their location and see if they will put them in their place of business for us. This can include barber shops, beauty salons or any other place that you know would not mind having them in their window.
October 24
Call 5 of your family members or friends here in the state of Louisiana and tell them to get up and go early vote for Obama.
October 25
Identify three of your friends or colleagues where you work who are Obama supporters and encourage them to go vote early. If you do not work, 3 people in classes you take or 3 people in local businesses that you are a regular to (example. Hair salon, barber shop)
October 26
Knock on three neighbors doors that you know are Obama supporters and inform them about early voting and try and commit them to a day to go and early vote for Barack.
October 27
There is only one day left after today, we are challenging you to drive a friend, family member, colleague or just a regular voter to the polls to guarantee they early vote.
October 28
Get one person to volunteer for a November 1-4 Get-Out-The-Vote shift. Identify the shifts in your local office and commit someone to a shift.
Not that hard, eh? As for voting locations, the list is after the jump! This does not include all the locations, I'm afraid. There are some extra locations in Orleans, Jefferson, Washington, East Baton Rouge that I am aware of. Please call the phone number of the Registrar of Voters for the Parish you reside to find out the other locations!
Lord Boustany is laughing these days, thinking that his cash advantage will ensure his re-election. That may happen, but I wouldn't be so comfortable if I were him for a couple of reasons:
1. He flip-flopped on the $700 Billion Bailout Fiasco, which was supposed to save our economy. Apparently, it's not working, as the Dow slipped below 10,000 for the first time since 2004. On Monday, Boustany voted Nay. Monday's bill was a straight-up bill, with no earmarks in it at all. On Friday, however, Lord Boustany voted Yea. Friday's bill is laden with earmarks. This one made me scratch my head because I thought Rep. Boustany was against earmarks ... apparently, he's flip-flopped on earmarks too.
2. In a poll commissioned by the Louisiana Democratic Party, and conducted by the Zata 3 polling firm between September 19 to September 23 of 450 random voters, with a 4.6 margin of error, Boustany actually trails Cravins by 1 point amongst informed voters - 37 to 36 percent.
This is good news, but the informed voters thing threw me for a loop. I'm not a pollster, so I didn't understand what it meant. Essentially, an informed voter is given both positive and negative information about both candidates running, and then asked whom they were more likely to vote for.
So ... what that means is that the Cravins campaign has their work cut out for them, as it is apparent that they need to ensure that the voters in LA-07 are aware of the problems that the Lord of Lafayette has.
If you're a concerned Louisianan, and want to see effective representation in Congress ... representation that will fight to get the money needed to rebuild after Hurricanes Rita, Gustav and Ike; representation that will fight for universal access to quality, affordable health care; representation that will always listen to the people before the lobbyists; then y'all need to call one of the following numbers:
Lafayette Office: (337) 233-8777 Lake Charles Office: (337) 315-6625
and tell them y'all want to volunteer. That's the Cravins' campaign office phone #'s, and they'll be more than happy to put y'all to work!
... the reason earmarks aren't a critical problem is that they are a tiny percentage of total federal spending.
For instance, estimates from watchdog groups of total earmark spending in fiscal 2008 range from $16-18 billion. Current estimated outlays for the federal government in fiscal 2008 are $2.9 trillion (PDF alert). That's less than one percent.
To put it another way, the current projected deficit is roughly $400 billion. Even if John McCain got rid of every earmark (an impossible task), it would only make a small contribution to deficit reduction. (See Factcheck.org's takedown of McCain's exaggerated claims of how much it can save by reducing earmarks.)
Now, LA-07, as we all know, got hammered by Hurricane Rita on September 24, 2005. Cameron took a pretty big hit. And Lord Boustany's disdain for earmarks is the height of irresponsible representation ... as I'm sure that there was an earmark for building a floodwall, or raising the levees or rebuilding the coastline out in Southwest Louisiana that you could have requested to help prevent Cameron from getting flooded for the second time in less than three years by a hurricane that wasn't even a direct hit:
I was struck by the following in that Advocate article linked to just above:
Clifton Hebert, director of the Cameron Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness, offered a grim report of damage to his area with a lot of home damage from flooding. This included homes that had been moved, twisted and hollowed out.
"It's going to be really tough. It's pretty much done in a lot of people," he said. "Three years later they were just beginning to recuperate and they lose everything again."
"We had 6,500 homes and businesses damaged and 1,700 severely damaged for Rita," said Rebecca Broussard, director of the Vermilion Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness. "This time, it will depend on the houses that were elevated after Rita. A lot of them were waiting on housing mitigation loans, now three years later."
Three years to get housing mitigation loans? Three YEARS?! With all those "Making Congress Work Outreach Sessions" your staff had all over the district last year, I'm sure someone told you that they were having a hard time getting loans to raise their homes above flood level.
As y'all are aware, Gustav made landfall last week, causing most towns in south Louisiana and central Louisiana to lose electricity. What y'all may not have been so aware of is that there were elections that were to be held last Saturday.
This will create a weird election season for us all ... as there will likely be a necessary run-off in LA-02 on the Democratic side and LA-04 on the Republican side, which means the run-offs will be held on Tuesday, November 4th, thus pushing the general election in those contests back to December.
The rest of the state will have general elections on Tuesday, November 4th, including the knife-fights developing in LA-06 and LA-07.
(Promoted ... and added some comments of my own in bold. - promoted by ryan)
The DCCC has put this on the Red 2 Blue list. So national money will pour into this district. Lord Boustany will have a hard time keeping up with money being dumped into media buys. I see a BLUE November.
DCCC Press:
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced today the next round of candidates who earned a spot in the DCCC's highly competitive Red to Blue program. These six candidates qualified for the fourth round of the Red to Blue program by surpassing demanding fundraising goals and skillfully demonstrating to voters that they stand for change and will represent new priorities when elected to Congress.
"The candidates for change being named to the DCCC Red to Blue program are running solid campaigns and are committed to making things easier for middle class families in their districts," said Chris Van Hollen, Chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "With less than 100 days to make their case for change to voters in their districts, the Red to Blue program will give these candidates the financial and structural edge to be even more competitive in November."
Chairman Van Hollen joined Red to Blue co-chairs Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Artur Davis (D-AL), and Bruce Braley (D-IA) to announce six candidates who qualified for the Red to Blue program:
(LA-07) Don Cravins, Jr.
(NV-02) Jill Derby
(OH-02) Vic Wulsin
(PA-03) Kathy Dahlkemper
(VA-05) Tom Perriello
(VA-10) Judy Feder
Reflecting Democrats' expanding playing field this cycle, there are now 44 candidates on the Red to Blue program. The Red to Blue program highlights top Democratic campaigns across the country and offers them financial, communications, and strategic support. The program will introduce Democratic supporters to new, competitive candidates in order to help expand the fundraising base for these campaigns. A complete list of Red to Blue candidates is available on the DCCC website at: www.dccc.org/page/content/redtoblue/.
Red to Blue was a proven success in the 2006 cycle. In 2006, the Red to Blue program raised nearly $22.6 million for 56 campaigns with an average of $404,000 per campaign. Red to Blue was also responsible for solidifying the structure of dozens of campaigns and making a real difference for Democrats across America.
This is incredible news for the Cravins campaign. I fully expected them to be on the Emerging Races list, and they are, but to have three targeted races - Carmouche in the 4th, Cazayoux in the 6th, and now Cravins in the 7th - in little ol Louisiana? That's impressive.
It says a LOT about the strength of the candidates in Louisiana that the DCCC is betting quite heavily in our state. The question is ... can the candidates and their campaigns deliver?
Only time will tell us that. But there is one thing you can do to help out ... talk to your frienda and neighbors about the election, register them if they are not registered, VOLUNTEER, and most importantly, VOTE. I'll have a post up in the next few days about volunteer opportunities in LA-01, LA-02, LA-04, LA-06, and LA-07.
"It is clear that Don Cravins shares our commitment to restoring fiscal discipline and commonsense to the federal government, and we are proud to offer him our endorsement today."
I'm glad to see Rep. Ross using the term fiscal discipline rather than fiscal conservative. The Democrats are the party of fiscal discipline ... after all, Democrats believe in paying as you go, whereas the Republicans (believers of fiscal conservativism) want to starve government of the funds necessary to fund programs like Social Security, Medicare, and SCHIP, so that we have run deficits to fund them ... like we have for the past 8 years.
Today - July 31st - is also Don Cravins, Jr's birthday. His 36th. If you can, send $36 to help him celebrate in the upper left corner, or here.
Well, well, well ... Lord Boustany is getting nervous about his re-election prospects out in LA-07. How do I know? Because he's trying to get down with the common folks of Louisiana by telling us all that he is "proud to support S-CHIP and Louisiana's LaCHIP" as he stated in an official House email to constituents last week.
The truth, however, lends a, well, different perspective on Lord Boustany's "support" for SCHIP and LaCHIP. Consider the following:
Lord Boustany voted NAY on passage of the reauthorizing SCHIP bill on September 25, 2007. It passed the House by a vote of 265 to 159, which means some Republicans (45 of 'em) voted YEA.
Does the above voting record show "support" for SCHIP and LaCHIP? Voting 4 separate times against renewing the funding for SCHIP in less than 5 months? Yeah, that's support, alright!
And the bill Lord Boustany touts as showing his "support" for SCHIP? It's a bill to gather information about the "effectiveness" of SCHIP and LaCHIP. And when did he introduce it? A mere two weeks after State Senator Don Cravins, Jr. qualified to run against him this fall. Yep ... the Lord of Lafayette is gettin' scared.
Such a bill is the first step in a future attempt to show that "big government" doesn't work, so we shouldn't fund this program. The conservative agenda to drown the government in the bathtub and outsource government services to big business is being served oh, so very well by Lord Boustany, who constantly harps on ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely.
I agree that taxpayer dollars ought to be spent wisely ... which is what has me wondering why I never hear such talk from Lord Boustany about ensuring that our taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely in Iraq, but he can't stop bloviating on and on about ensuring that taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely on social programs like ensuring that poor children have quality health care.
(The DCCC's been interested in this race for quite some time ... it is, however, the first public example of their interest. This is a DEMOCRATIC district, y'all ... see the section on LA-07 in this diary - promoted by ryan)
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced today that Don Cravins Jr. (LA-07) has been added to Emerging Races because he is running a strong campaign that is generating excitement in his district.
"In the short time that Don Cravins has been in the race, he's put together a solid campaign and shown that he is committed to making things easier for middle class families in Southwest Louisiana," said DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen.
Cravins is the 21st candidate named to the DCCC's Emerging Races program. In each of these races, Democratic candidates have generated excitement in their districts for their campaigns for change. As these campaigns continue to develop and demonstrate increasing strength, candidates will have an opportunity to qualify for the DCCC's Red to Blue program.
"Amid that growing concern, Boustany invited 30 of the most powerful Louisianans living in Washington, D.C., to his home in mid-February to discuss the state and its priorities."
"I called a meeting of Louisiana lobbyists ... to let them know that I'm willing to be the conduit to the rest of the delegation to make sure that we are setting our priorities and all working toward common goals."
As if hanging out with powerful Louisiana lobbyists so they can dictate his agenda was not enough, did you know that Congressman Boustany once attempted to buy an English Title? There was one small problem ... it was a fraud (pdf alert). Apparently, two con artists hoodwinked dumb wealthy Americans like Congressman Boustany that they could buy an English Title, which would give them all sorts of goodies like being called Lord Boustany and a seat to ride in the Queen Mum's 100th Birthday celebration back in the mid-1990's.
Most millionaires like Congressman Lord Boustany would let the money go. But not Congressman Lord Boustany. Noooo.
He went and filed a lawsuit that never went anywhere in Lafayette Parish, and it is available to the public ... I have all three pages of the complaint, but the most relevant one is page 2, which shows how much he paid for the Title - $18,500 - and lists both his name and that of his wife in the pleading, and why they are filing suit.
Incumbent U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany, a Republican, toes the line against pork-barrel projects, but Cravins argues that earmarks can have a positive impact, especially for a district still struggling to rebuild in the wake of 2005's Hurricane Rita. "How can Congressman Boustany not believe in earmarks for a district that has been devastated by a hurricane?" Cravins asks. "We need the money, and that's a lack of leadership."
... but like most snobbish Congressmen Lords, he is merely against earmarks for us mere commoners, as he will help out his wealthy friends who donate thousands to his campaign according to a Gerald Shields' article in The Advocate entitled Earmarks remain in 'pay to play' Congress, dated June 8, 2008, which is no longer available online:
One of those members is U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany, R-Lafayette. Boustany last year sponsored an earmark worth up to $1 million for C&C Technologies in the defense spending bill.
Donors associated with C&C Technologies have contributed $20,300 to Boustany's campaign since his election in 2004, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, which analyzes federal campaign contributions.
I guess we common folk don't have the dough to play on Congressman Lord Boustany's level.
As of 11 PM CST on July 14th, not one Republican candidate for the House in Louisiana has filed their July quarterly. Five of the 18 Democrats running have filed their reports. Without further adieu, here are those five fundraising reports:
LA-01
Jim Harlan has filed his report. Vinnie Mendoza, a perpetual candidate, has not.
No, the debts is not a mis-print. Mr. Harlan donated his campaign $525,000. For the first time in recent memory, money will not be a reason for the Democratic candidate in LA-01 to lose. It will be because the campaign didn't do a good job. I doubt that will be the case, as the campaign manager for Mr. Harlan is the same campaign manager that helped Travis Childers
LA-02
There are 8 Democrats running in the primary, including incumbent Congressman Bill Jefferson. Only 2 of the 8 have filed their FEC reports so far. They are:
Mr. Troy Carter is not a serious candidate. The debt is partly from his failed run back in 2006, where he placed fourth in the jungle primary behind the Republican. I've corrected the amount raised this quarter from his FEC report. If you click on his name, it'll bring you to his July Quarterly FEC report, where he reports NO money raised this quarter. But if you take a look at his April Quarterly report, you'll see that he only reported some $2,188 raised in the election cycle to date column, and nothing again in the this cycle to date column. Mr. Carter, please find someone to teach your staff how to fill out the reports properly!
The debt is money that Mr. Richmond gave his campaign. For a first-time candidate for the U.S. House, the first quarter fundraising for Mr. Richmond is impressive. Almost $200,000 in the bank. Right now, he has to be one of the favorites to oust Congressman Jefferson.
Since Charlie won re-election by acclamation, as no Republican bothered to file to run against him, he is a prime candidate for the netroots' Use It or Lose It Campaign. He can easily afford to give 30% of his cash on hand to the DCCC so they can pump even more money into LA-01, LA-04, LA-06 and LA-07 to help us elect the Democratic candidates in those districts.
LA-04
There are 4 Democrats running for the nomination in this district - Willie Banks, Paul Carmouche, Artis "Doc" Cash and John Milkovich. Thus far, only Mr. Banks has filed his July Quarterly FEC report.
The debt is money that Mr. Banks loaned his campaign. He's having a hard time raising cash, presumably because he's running against a VERY well-known Democrat in that district, the Caddo Parish District Attorney, Paul Carmouche, who has served in that capacity for I believe 30 years.
The folks that qualified yesterday AND Wednesday are in green text, unless they have are a Democrat AND have a website that I can find. If they are Repewblicans, then they have no linky to their site. This is a progressive website, and there is no need to link to those we are trying to defeat. The folks that qualified today are in black. So, without further adieu:
Senator Landrieu is currently on her "Winning for Louisiana." There will be events in Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Shreveport, Monroe, Alexandria, Lake Charles and New Orleans over the weekend. The New Orleans stop will be the final one, and that is being held at the Basin Street Station in New Orleans. You find out about the rest of the stops in the Events Box up in the right corner.
The field you see up there will likely be who is on the ballot come November, as Mr. Stewart is running as an Independent, and will appear on the November ballot. The entrance will likely make things very difficult for the former Democrat turned Republican who now says party labels are irrelevant. I say that because Mr. Fontanesi is a Libertarian and will likely earn votes otherwise intended for the Republican nominee.
LA-01
Jim Harlan, Democrat
M.V. "Vinny" Mendoza, Democrat
Steve Scalise, Republican
James Carter, Democrat Troy "C" Carter, Democrat
William Jefferson, Democrat
Byron L. Lee, Democrat
Helena Moreno, Democrat Cedric Richmond, Democrat
Malik Rahim, Green Party
Kenya J.H. Smith, Democrat
"Jerry" Jacobs, No Party
Anh "Joseph" Cao, Republican
This is likely to remain in Democratic hands, no matter the outcome of the Democratic primary. The real fight here will be on September 6th.
Charlie won his re-election by acclamation. That's more money that can go to Don Cazayoux, Don Cravins, Jr., Jim Harlan, Mary Landrieu, and whomever comes out of the Democratic primaries in LA-02 and LA-04.
John Fleming, Republican
Chris Gorman, Republican
Jeff Thompson, Republican
Chester T. "Catfish" Kelley, No Party
Gerard J. Bowen, Jr., Other
So we'll see one Democrat and one GOPer on the November ballot in the 4th along with Mr. Kelley and Mr. Bowen.
LA-05
Rodney Alexander, Republican
A Republican has stepped forward to take on the traitor ... his name is:
Andrew Clack, Republican
No Democrat emerged to take on the traitor. Oh, well. This race will be decided on September 6th. My guess is that the traitor will win handily, but what do I know about GOP politics?
Michael Jackson, No Party
As far as I am concerned, the Democrats in the State House ought to dump Mr. Jackson. Let him run as an Independent from here on out. Party rules require Democrats to support the Democratic nominee in general elections, and Mr. Jackson is blatantly dissing that rule. Come on EBR Democrats, show Mr. Jackson that you've got a spine!
LA-07
Don Cravins, Jr., Democrat
Charles Boustany, Republican
Peter Vidrine, Other
Last week, Congressman Steny Hoyer, the Majority Leader of the United States House of Representatives came to Louisiana to attend a fundraiser for 
Traditionally, the way Democratic candidates have won in LA-07 is that they are from the Lafayette portion of the district, so they can keep it close there, and then they run up the score in Lake Charles, which is a union-friendly town.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced today that 
