Will the GOP be able to mount a competent challenge to recently-elected Rep. Don Cazayoux?
That entirely depends on candidate recruitment, and Republicans have one new name in the mix. Bill Cassidy, a state senator and physician from Baton Rouge, told the Republican State Central Committee in Louisiana earlier today that he’s definitely in the race against Cazayoux.
Cassidy was first elected to the state senate in 2006, but on paper he would bring a couple of key advantages to the GOP in this race: 1) His base is in Baton Rouge, the district’s population center and the area that delivered this race for Cazayoux in May; and 2) he’s not Woody Jenkins.
However, a Cassidy nomination is not guaranteed. In the same Baton Rouge Advocate article, both special election loser Jenkins and primary loser/lobbyist Laurinda Calongne sound ready to make another kick at the can.
Interestingly, the article detects a hint of fear among the Republicans over Barack Obama’s voter registration efforts:
But Jenkins said Republicans have their work cut out because of Obama, who has raised $300 million in the current election cycle. “He’s doubled what been raised by John McCain and he’s only just begun,” Jenkins said.
Obama supporters have already started voter registration drives in the state, reportedly signing up 90,000 in four parishes alone, he said.
“We need to wake up … we don’t need any part-time Republicans. We need to recognize we are in the fight of our life,” Jenkins said. “Are we asleep on the beach waiting for the tsunami to hit?”
SSP currently rates this race as Leans Democratic.
This is the great thing about Obama’s campaign, registration drives in every state. Obama’s campaign isn’t just about him winning in November, its about getting more people into the process and electing more progressive candidates everywhere, this is evident by registration drives in states that have no chance of turning blue for a presidential race, but maybe for a local election.
I think LA-06 is not going to go back to the GOP. Don Cazayoux now has the positive incumbency effect, and the ability to raise more money, and it looks like the GOP will have a primary.
Is he still intent on running as an independent and screwing us over in this district? If so Obama really needs to put the pressure on him to stand aside.