John Kennedy
When you put aside the spin and positioning, ignore the special interests and pundits, there are always undeniable truths—even in politics. For instance, labeling incumbent U.S. Sen Mary Landrieu as anti-oil is like calling Rush Limbaugh a liberal. After all, she’s the author of a bill that opened up 8.3 million new acres of the Gulf of Mexico to drilling and the only Democrat to vote with Republicans against two Democratic, watered-down energy bills this term.
If anything, Landrieu, a New Orleans Democrat, should be stripped of her donkey pin when it comes to energy issues. She’s a traitor to the mainline mantra, which isn’t surprising since she represents Louisiana. Recently, on CNBC’s Kudlow & Company, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, referred to Landrieu as “an exception” to the anti-drilling, Democratic establishment. Mark Miller, regional director for the Independent Petroleum Association of America, also anointed Landrieu “our favorite senator” last month.
Nonetheless, Republican state Treasurer John Kennedy, Landrieu’s opponent this fall, is swinging away and issuing press releases that contend Landrieu “opposes pro-drilling legislation.” While Kennedy has his varied reasons for making such claims, the attacks are based more on what the Republican Party is calling for than anything else. It’s a national strategy that mirrors the assaults that Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the presumptive GOP nominee for president, is firing off at fellow Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, his Democratic counterpart.
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Such a strategy, regardless of the candidates and extraneous politics, just won’t fly in certain states, especially those that rely on oil money. Chris John, a former Democratic congressman who now serves as president of the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association, says the approach is harder to implement than most Republicans think. “My experience in state and federal government is that energy issues are more geographic than partisan,” John says. “You have both Democrats and Republicans in places like New York and Michigan who are not pro-oil, and then you have oil-producing states where both Republicans and Democrats have always supported the industry.”
So, aside from toeing the party line and following national talking points, why is Kennedy taking these curious shots at Landrieu? In part, his team is hoping to align Landrieu with Obama. Republicans attempted to do the same earlier this year in congressional races in Mississippi and closer to home in Baton Rouge, with absolutely no success. “The Kennedy camp is trying to take a national Democrat, a black, liberal, Democrat, which is a classic, southern political strategy, and link him to the local Democrat in an attempt to say that these individuals hold the same views that are far more extreme than our constituents,” says Joshua Stockley, former president of the Louisiana Political Science Association and professor of government at Nicholls State University.
Mary Landrieu
The strategy also seeks to address gas prices. Hovering near $4 per gallon, gas prices are a thorn in the side of the average voter. Kennedy knows this, as does Landrieu, and both want to capitalize on the issue. There’s very little, though, that either can do—as a senator or as a state treasurer—about the gross inflation at the pumps, at least any time soon. For instance, according to a new U.S. Department of Energy report, Congress could open all areas of America’s coast, including the OCS, to drilling and exploration and consumers wouldn’t see an impact on prices before 2030.
For now, Kennedy and Landrieu will continue to bicker over energy issues and muddy them enough that the average voter doesn’t know which way is up. But no matter which politico wins the fall election, you can rest assured that Louisiana will have yet another pro-oil vote in Congress. Such is the way of the Bayou State. Voters just have to decide whether that pro-oil lawmaker should be a Republican or Democrat.
Lane’s campaign trail
Shy politics have never, ever been Lane Grigsby’s style. The man behind the political action committees LaNext and BRNext, is coming out from behind the nonprofits to put his money and his name where his heart is.
In anticipation of the East Baton Rouge Metro Council election on Oct. 4, Grigsby has publicly declared his support of numerous candidates including Larry Selders and Tara Wicker in District 10 and Joel Boé in District 9.
Photo by Marie Constantin
Lane Grigsby
Grigsby says Boé “is what people want when they talk about a public servant. He’s a young man who wants to serve people.”
Grigsby’s involvement vocal support and dissention of Metro Council candidates stretches back into the 1980s, when he supported school board member Pat Screen for mayor because of Screen’s anti-union sentiments.
But Grigsby is also ready to put his money down in the U.S. Senate race between incumbent Democrat Mary Landrieu and Republican state Treasurer John Kennedy and in the 6th Congressional District race between incumbent Democrat Don Cazayoux, Republican Bill Cassidy and independent Michael Jackson. Grigsby will speak out against the incumbents because of their ties to big labor.
But his support of Jackson could be the biggest surprise. Jackson, a Democrat, currently serves in House District 61. Grigsby has pledged independent expenditures for Jackson and Cassidy.
“Of course I would love to see Cassidy win. He’s a Republican, but I really like Jackson,” Grigsby says.
In particular, Grigsby says he believes that the Democratic Party left Jackson in an uncomfortable position. In the last election, in which Cazayoux defeated Republican challenger Woody Jenkins to fill the unexpired term of Richard Baker, Grigsby says “the Democratic Party came down here and anointed Don. It’s not fair that they use black Democrats on Election Day and then forget about them the day after.”
While Jackson might be representative of Grigsby’s political views, Grigsby has never been known to pick a candidate solely because of their political party. He previously told Business Report he picks his sides based on the person, not on arbitrarily drawn party lines. —Olivia Watkins
For information on other races in the upcoming election, click the links below.
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