Sen. Mary Landrieu is in tenuous position as last statewide-elected Democrat in Louisiana

[Sgent]

Source: AP / New Orleans Times-Picayune

WASHINGTON -- Elected narrowly three times in what turned out to be ebbs in the rising Republican tide, Sen. Mary Landrieu is now the last statewide-elected Democrat standing in Louisiana.

She also is the last Deep South Democrat in the U.S. Senate, strategically keeping her distance from a national party that is increasingly unpopular at home while trying not to antagonize her loyal base.

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"Louisiana is still very much a state that depends on the federal government and needs help in Washington," Johnston said. "I would bet on Mary's re-election in 2014. Now, obviously, there are all kinds of things that can come up, but given Mary's abilities, her persistence, her courage, her seniority and her positioning, my guess is the business community will rally to her the way the business community rallied to me because they understood I could and did help them, the same thing with Russell Long, the same thing with John Breaux, and Mary has only just gotten those positions of power. It takes a while."

"She's matured a great deal over the last several years," said Breaux, like Johnston now a Washington lobbyist. "I think Mary has worked herself to that position where she's one of four or six or whatever that number is, who can really make a difference, that determine whether something passes or not. I think people want to help her, to get her to be supportive of whatever they want. They know they are going to need her sometime. It's a great place to be."

Read more: http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/07/sen_mary_landrieu_is_in_tenuou.html

[tularetom]

1. She's a worthless Democrat but still preferable to any republican

[TheDebbieDee]

3. I disagree. She's voted with the repukes on many

important issues and her vote for healthcare had to be bought by the Dems! Landrieu might as well be a republican, that the the Dems don't have to let her into their "top secret" meetings where she takes notes for the repukes!

[SharonAnn]

23. She adds "1" to the headcount to determine the majority party. That's important.

[boomerbust]

2. Thats a shame

:evilgrin:

[still_one]

4. Louisiana is quite a state. Didn't they elect David duke at one time for state office? /nt

[KamaAina]

22. State legislature

one small, lily-white district (out of 101 total) in the white-flight suburb of Metairie.

He did get 46% of the vote for governor once, but lost to Edwin "Vote for the crook. It's important." Edwards.

[placton]

5. who gives a rat's ass about her?

this state became GOP, by design, after Katrina - when the black folks were shipped out. She has been getting worse and worse, so who needs her?

[FreeBillClinton]

6. Get rid of her. Turncoats don't help, they hurt.

Would we encourage voting for Eric Cantor or John Boehner if they decided to put a D next to their name?

Democrats need to stop putting republicans in office as democrats just to increase their numbers. It backfires when these republicans in democratic clothing vote against the party platform and make democratic politicians seem ineffective because the strength of their caucus as been artificially inflated with phony numbers.

[stlsaxman]

7. oh, Jesus- she's a Democrat?!?!? Who knew?

[elocs]

8. What's with the people down there? Were they so impressed by Bushco & the Republicans after Katrina

that they want more of them?

[harun]

16. I would love to know the answer to that question.

[No Elephants]

19. Race and religion.

[Ter]

21. Abortion and gays

n/t

[0rganism]

9. to the folks saying "throw her under the bus, who cares if she wins?"...

... please allow me to point out that we have 33 senators up for election in 2014, only 13 of which are currently in GOP hands. Yep, much like 2012, this is an election where Democrats are set up to lose seats. If you think the legislative branch sucks rocks now, just wait until the Senate is majority GOP. How many senators are you willing to sacrifice in the name of ideological purity?

[hedgehog]

10. Ideological purity is one thing, but blurring party boundaries to the

point that most people think there is no real difference between the parties is something else.

[Tesha]

18. Bingo!

The precise problem for our Party these days is that
nobody knows what we stand for because, when you
consider all of the elected politicians in our
"big tent", we don't stand for *ANYTHING*!

We have members who are anti-woman, anti-children,
pro-war, pro-corporations, pro-rich, anti-poor,
wildly pro-gun, anti-immigrant, anti-labor,...

In other words, completely indistinguishable from
Republicans. These folks have trashed our "brand"
and we would do far better to cut them out of our
party so people would once again understand that
we actually *DO* stand for some things, that we
actually *DO* have a core principle or two that
we will not compromise.

Tesha

[Lucinda]

11. It's mind boggling.

Some places are tough to get a Dem elected. If they have to make some concessions to keep getting elected, I'd rather have that then lose the seat totally. Sort of common sense.

[Bandit]

13. Notice all the praise of her is coming from the Republicans

I guess LA will get whatever it deserves..

[harun]

15. I think sometimes you got to give people what they wish for so they learn

why it sucks.

[No Elephants]

20. If you have problems distinguishing between the two parties, you are

going to vote for the one that stands for taking the least amount of your money.

[democratinnashville]

12. Mary Landrieu

is not a Democrat. Just give up the south and harvest other areas. I live in a relatively liberal area of the south...my "Democratic" congressman would make a Republican proud in any other part of the country....the south is dead for the Democrats. If you believe in a man and woman holding hands in public you are too progressive for the south...hit some other areas where the money and attention might make a difference.

[harun]

14. DINO

[Sgent]

17. Your right

look up the name Steve Scalise -- he's not a DINO, but he's slightly to the right of Atilla the Hun. He would be her competition.

[aaaaaa5a]

24. She should start looking for another job

It doesn't matter how "right wing she is" she will not be elected in 2014. By this time, Obama will be in his second term. This will be an off year election. Her odds of survival are 'nil