A failed effort to push approval of the Keystone XL pipeline through Congress behind her, Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu now faces an even greater challenge to win a runoff election against Republican Rep. Bill Cassidy next month.
“I just don’t know where you’re going to get the votes. It just doesn’t seem to me to be possible,” longtime Democratic political operative and LSU mass communications professor Robert Mann tells The Associated Press. “She’s a pretty strong swimmer, but the tide is pulling her out.”
As Landrieu now looks ahead to the Dec. 6 runoff election, the raw math of the Louisiana electorate remains a hurdle. Even before the pipeline effort failed, there was evidence in the results from the first round of voting on Election Day that a Keystone XL success wouldn’t have been enough to help Landrieu in the parts of Louisiana where it would matter most.
Take, for example, the oil-and-gas industry hotbed of Calcasieu Parish. Cassidy combined with tea party favorite Rob Maness there to beat Landrieu by 14,421 votes, which is more than three times Landrieu’s winning margin in the parish in her previous victory.
Going forward, Ted James, a Democratic state lawmaker from Baton Rouge and Landrieu supporter, says Landrieu needs to focus on state issues, tie Cassidy to Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal and steer talk away from President Barack Obama if possible.
“The only way I see her winning this race is talking about Louisiana,” he says. “If this race is about Obama, she can’t win.” Read the full story.
