Except for the unsettled situation regarding the Second Congressional District, things are starting to heat up for the contests regarded as competitive in state and national positions in Louisiana this fall.
The only such race out there at the national level (again, not considering the Second District for the moment) is the Third Congressional District which sets to be a partial replay of two years ago. In that, current U.S. Rep. Democrat Charlie Melancon barely made it into a runoff with Republican Billy Tauzin III, just outpacing Republican state Sen. Craig Romero. Melancon narrowly defeated Tauzin in part because Romero waged a scorched earth campaign of non-support of his fellow Republican.
All seems forgiven, now. Romero has widespread GOP backing and Melancon faces a stiff challenge for the seat. Still, bitter feelings Romero created may now boomerang against him and allow Melancon to retain the seat despite this being the most partisan-deviant seat in the entire Congress.
The dynamic of this contest two years ago possibly could come into play concerning one of the statewide executive branch offices up for grabs, secretary of state. A Republican would be favored, but that could change despite the fact two strong GOP adherents have emerged – former state Republican Party Chairman Mike Francis and state Sen. Jay Dardenne. Opposing them appears to be state Democrat Rep. Carla Dartez.
Francis is perceived as an outside reformer, while Dardenne is seen as an experienced insider. Consequentially, more ideological conservatives see Dardenne as suspect. Fueling this speculation is Dardenne’s confused behavior over his vote for and then against exceptions to abortion in SB 33 presently moving through the Legislature (even as the abortion issue has no direct relationship to the job of Secretary of State). If this contest turns particularly contentious, the loser may be so embittered just as was Romero and act accordingly that it could allow Dartez to slip in for the general election runoff.
Perhaps as interesting but in a different way is the other statewide executive branch tilt, for the insurance commissionership. There, state Sen. James David Cain, formerly a Democrat but now a Republican, looks to square off against the acting Commissioner James Donelon, formerly a Republican but now a Democrat. Newcomer Republican Deanne Henke also has said she will run. At this point, it’s anybody guess as to how all this party switching will translate into support between the two major candidates.
This comment is regarding DeAnne Henke, who claims to be a Christian, however, seems to me to being "playing church" on Sundays, then leaving it behind the rest of the week. The facts about how Henke has handled her life in the last few years is public record. The one that stands out to me is the $10,000 (plus) she owes a woman that rented a beautiful home to her. Henke called herself a Financial Advisor at the time - what a joke.
ReplyDeleteShe skipped out of the rental home in the middle of the night, purchased her current home before the Better Business Bureau or attorneys could be contacted, and the only contact she's had with her former landlord has been sob stories on how she’s waiting for a settlement before she can pay her what has been owed for several years now, and legal threats to keep her mouth shut about the money she owes her. Well, I'm not keeping MY mouth shut! Henke can hire a campaign advisor at a whopping $27,000, but she can't pay her past landlord the owed $10,000 plus that she is committed to?
Now THIS is a woman I want representing OUR state of Louisiana! (sarcasm) It's people like HENKE that add to the bad reputations of most politicians - So, Ms. Henke, you will fit right in IF you win this election. You DO NOT have MY vote, and I will make sure that everyone I know knows the truth (public record) of how you handled an innocent landlord who trusted you and gave you a chance when you were 'down in the dumps'. So, PAY YOUR DEBT – and then THAT public record will, at the very least, clear THAT blemish in your life that we know of.
I hesitate to leave this comment in place but will do so out of respect for robustness of free speech.
ReplyDeleteIn assessing the veracity of the comments above, readers should keep in mind that they are submitted by someone who does not choose to identify himself, and are remarks for which he provides no substantiation.