Louisiana Treasurer Switches to GOP, Could Tilt US Senate

[garybeck]

Louisiana Treasurer Switches To GOP — May Potentially Run For Senate

By Eric Kleefeld - August 27, 2007, 1:25PM

In a move that could throw a shadow over growing Dem optimism about making gains in the Senate in 2008, Louisiana Treasurer John N. Kennedy announced today that he is switching from the Democrats over to the Republican Party — a change widely seen as being a preliminary move towards challenging Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu.

http://tpmelectioncentral.com/2007/08/louisiana_treasur...

[BOSSHOG]

1. On an optimistic note for Dems

running against Mary Landrieu is like taking a nice little swim in the Honey Island swamp when the Alligators are hungry. She is an ass kicker of a campaigner. I know many here do not like her but she is better then anything the grand old puba party has to offer, even mr kennedy. Oh, if only her brother were Mayor of NOLA or governor himself.

[Freddie Stubbs]

9. She has been elected twice in a red state

I'm sure that it will be a tough race, but I certainly would not count her out.

[leveymg]

2. Buzzkill

[kenny blankenship]

3. See why ANY Democratic pickup in the Senate is important, even if it's someone you don't like?

like Bob Kerrey, for example. Republican strategists will stop at nothing to get the Senate back since they expect a Democrat will probably win the White House. With the Senate they can destroy that Democratic President's term in office by simply refusing to pass significant legislation desired by the Democratic House and Dem constituencies.

I know most people understand this, but there are still some people...

[David__77]

8. I'll take Bob Kerrey over Hagel any day.

Yes, the numbers do count.

[NYC Liberal]

11. "refusing to pass significant legislation"

Yes but there's something even more important specifically with the Senate: appointments.

They want the Senate because even though they can block legislation, they could do that in the House too. But with the Senate, they get to do that AND block judges and any other appointments.

[ccpup]

4. not sure what her approval ratings are right now

but she's got a lot of clout, a lot of political know-how and someone entering the race having flipped from the "other party" may not be the strongest candidate to run against her.

[Fovea]

5. How many Republic party seats are up in 08?

21, IIRC. How many Dems? 12.

I think the senate will be blue in a big way after 08.

[ananda]

6. Well, I have to laugh because I think..

.. that Landreau is as good as Reep herself.

[garybeck]

10. was she one of th 14 that voted to legalize wiretapping?

[funkybutt]

7. I had a feeling about this

There have been rumors for months about his switching to run for various offices. Then he came out publicly recently and said that he'd be running for re-election as Treasurer.

[Bitwit1234]

12. Well we know he is nuts and crooked

anybody that knowingly switches from a democrat to a REPUBLICAN has got to be mentally challenged.

[VP505]

13. In this day, with such

a divide between the party core values, how does someone switch from the party of corporate panderers and whores and yes men to the party of the people? (That's assuming that the party of the people doesn't pander, etc.) I just can not wrap my mind around someone doing that and believe that they will NOW advocate for "we the people".

[garybeck]

14. it's because the Democratic party has some of that disease too.

those who jump from one party to the other, can latch to the problems of curruption in either party. the truth is that the problem is worse in the R party, and there are several in the D party who are immunizing themselves from the problem. But those who think it's a black and white issue and only the R party has this problem, are not facing the facts..

[IDemo]

15. I'm suddenly very optimistic we will be picking up at least one seat

http://www.laroccoforsenate.com/app/webroot/pages/about...

[notadmblnd]

16. Whatever.. she acts more like a republican anyway.

What difference would there be if a real one ran?

[KingFlorez]

17. She'll win again

She beat back a really aggressive challenge in 2002 against Suzie Terrell, that was the time when they could of defeated her, yet they didn't. The GOP doesn't have a chance here.