With an open seat, two dozen candidates, prostitution allegations and a white supremacist contender, the only sure thing in Louisiana’s U.S. Senate race seems to be that it won’t be decided Nov. 8 when most of the nation’s political contests are settled.
Instead, it’s certain to head to a December runoff, The Associated Press reports.
With more candidates than the state has seen in at least three decades, the jammed race already is living up—or down—to the stereotypes of outlandish and oddball Louisiana elections.
One candidate, Republican U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany, faces allegations that he was a client of prostitutes who were later killed. Republican state Treasurer John Kennedy is accused of promoting suicide because of his oft-repeated catchphrase that he’d “rather drink weed killer” than be a political insider or support the federal health care overhaul.
Another candidate, former Alcohol and Tobacco Control Commissioner Troy Hebert, filmed a 25-minute YouTube video with low-budget effects, donning wigs and costumes to play the major candidates and debate moderators—male and female—and draw eyeballs to his struggling campaign.
Meanwhile, former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke is not only on the ballot, he met the polling benchmark for a televised debate next week.
The seat is open because Republican David Vitter chose not to seek re-election after losing the governor’s race last year—partly because of his own 2007 prostitution scandal. Polls show many voters remain undecided, with no candidate pulling away from the pack.
Five candidates are within striking distance of the runoff: Boustany; Kennedy; Democrat Foster Campbell, an elected state utility regulator; Democratic lawyer Caroline Fayard; and Republican U.S. Rep. John Fleming.
All candidates, regardless of party, face each other in Louisiana’s primary. If no one exceeds 50% support, the top two vote-getters advance to the Dec. 10 runoff.
