Perhaps one of the legacies the recently deceased former Governor, Edwin Edwards, will forever maintain is his slaying of David Duke in a world-wide watched election for the state’s stop spot, Governor of the State of Louisiana.
Impeachment of a president can be a horrible thing to waste.
That is, if you are a politician or political party.
Have ya noticed? Louisiana is holding an US Senate contest in just two-and-a-half weeks. While fixating on Fox, CNN or MSNBC taking in the latest from the Presidential drama on TV, perhaps you might have seen an ad or two promoting the Senatorial contest. Or, maybe you haven't.
But, it's true. There is an election on November 3rd. And looking back, a mere six years ago, what a difference time and politics can make.
For those keeping score, as the state begins its early voting today, the Republican incumbent Bill Cassidy is facing a major Democrat Party challenger, Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins, who has great credentials. He’s has a West Point education, Harvard law degree and military stints in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Is Louisiana a judicial hellhole where decisions by state judges are influenced by campaign contributions? Apparently, the Louisiana legislature and business lobbying groups think so. In the recent legislative session, laws were passed taking away the authority of state judges to make decisions involving small claims above $10,000. Evidently elected judges often do not make fair decisions. Or at least that what insurance companies and other business groups want you to believe.
If you’re a book publisher like me, and want to sell a lot of books, there’s no better time than during a pandemic. Book sales have been high for months, particularly the big box stores like Walmart, Target, Costco, as well as bookstores nationwide. Some of the titles published by The Lisburn Press have sales that have tripled in recent months. If you’re stuck inside, what better way to pass time by reading a book.
Assuming in this strange day and age, we still have political conventions this year, no one at this stage is sure just how the process will work. The old process of picking national candidates in the proverbial smoke-filled room has gone by the wayside in favor of party primaries. In the old days, candidates would spend years wooing state party leaders, who would then select delegates and tell them whom to support.
House Democrats in congress can now vote and participate in committee hearings remotely. It was a good move that should have been adopted years ago. Is it necessary for members of Congress to spend most of their time in Washington? In 2020, why can’t lawmakers use the new technology of telecommunications to create a “virtual Congress?”
What a profound difference makes six years!
Back in February 2014, Louisiana was embroiled in a hotly-contested free-for-all for the U.S. Senate position. Retired, and unknown Air Force Colonel Rob Maness had just announced his candidacy to oust Senator Mary Landrieu, the powerful senior Democrat US Senator. Landrieu, generally had been hailed as the hero from the Hurricane Katrina wars fighting the emotional unending battles to save South Louisiana and New Orleans. However, Landrieu faced one major obstacle--President Barack Obama who down in these parts was less popular than the BP Oil Spill (if that were possible).
Hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent over the past year pumped into two small states, Iowa and New Hampshire respectively as they formally opened up the presidential election season. Ever since the first Democratic candidate entered the field, the number of competitors for president has winnowed down to a handful. Left standing are those men and women who hope to have the momentum and the staying power to become the Democratic nominee chosen at this summer's convention owning the right to go up against current White House occupant, Donald Trump.
This year, it was a perfect opportunity for Louisiana Republicans to defeat a vulnerable Democratic Governor, the only one in the Deep South. Unfortunately, once again, the GOP lost a race it surely should have won.
It must be nice to be John Bel Edwards. On Saturday, he was re-elected to a second term with 51% of the vote even though Louisiana is a conservative “red” state. Other than Edwards, all statewide elected officials in Louisiana are Republicans. In 2016, Louisiana voters supported Donald Trump in the presidential election by a 58-38% margin over the Democratic Party nominee Hillary Clinton.
The Louisiana elections are now history. Governor John Bel Edwards bested businessman Eddie Rispone and indirectly President Donald Trump who campaigned heavily for the Republican candidate.
The day after the election political analyst and pollster John Couvillon of JMC Analytics and Polling published the following:
As both the decade and the 2019 election cycle comes to a close, JMC would like to analyze the results through the prism of the December 2002 runoff that saw Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu re-elected, as there are similarities between that race and Governor John Bel Edwards’ successful re-election race (that comparison was also made in this prior article).
Are you serious?
That’s how I felt when I saw Donald Trump’s commercial as he screamed to his rally crowd that Louisiana must reject current Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards.
Bad enough that Louisiana Republicans have to import a national figure into the state to tell us whom should be our governor. But if they are going to do so, please bring in someone with real credibility than bringing in a clown who is always tripping over his falsehoods.
It has been thirty years since David Duke won his only election victory, as a State Representative, in Louisiana. He followed that race with losses for U.S. Senate, Governor of Louisiana, U.S. President, U.S. Senate, U.S. Congress and U.S. Senate.
Today, his following is mostly based online and outside of Louisiana and his political standing in Louisiana is non-existent. Nevertheless, liberals continue to resurrect the name of David Duke, former KKK leader, to motivate African American voters in Louisiana to support Democrats.
In the first primary governor’s race here in the Bayou State, incumbent John Bel Edwards looked to be on the verge of a first primary victory. Then at the last minute, the President blew into the state. It made a huge difference, and now Edwards is in the political fight of his life being challenged by political newcomer and Trump ally Eddie Rispone.