Political Wire

Edwards and Vitters Advance to Louisiana Runoff

· 31 Comments

Louisiana state Rep. John Bel Edwards (D) and Sen. David Vitter (R) “will continue their heated battle for governor in a Nov. 21 runoff after finishing 1-2 in the primary election Saturday,” the New Orleans Times Picayune reports.

“The Edwards-Vitter pairing was no surprise. Edwards was all but guaranteed 30 percent of the vote as the only major Democrat running; he ended up with 40 percent. Vitter was the candidate of choice for conservative Republicans, but was a distant second with 23 percent.”

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Is Matt Bevin Trying to Lose the Governor’s Race?

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Sam Youngman: “The Republican candidate’s sometimes bizarre behavior, oscillations on major policy issues and lack of advertising have all combined to make Bevin one of Democrat Jack Conway’s top allies with a month to go until Election Day.”

“That might help explain Bevin’s ill-advised and jaw-dropping decision to show up at Kentucky Democratic Party headquarters on Friday to complain to the receptionist about the sign KDP has outside its building questioning Bevin’s trustworthiness. It was Bevin’s second trip to the headquarters to complain about the sign.”

“Conway has certainly not set the world on fire with his campaign, vague policy proposals or charm. And he has taken much criticism for his campaign strategy of focusing on fundraising instead of traditional campaign rallies. But Bevin seems to be working very hard to make Conway’s campaign strategists look like geniuses.”

Are Republicans Giving Up in Kentucky?

· 59 Comments

The Republican Governor’s Association has stopped running television ads for Matt Bevin (R) in Kentucky with a little more than a month to go until Election Day, the AP reports.

“The association has spent $3 million on six ads for Bevin, mostly attacking his Democratic opponent, Jack Conway, for supporting the policies of Democratic President Barack Obama… The move is a blow for Bevin, who has aired just one TV ad after spending more than $1 million of his own money to win a four-way Republican primary in May.”

Vitter Appears Vulnerable in Governor’s Race

· 22 Comments

A new Public Policy Polling survey of Louisiana voters finds that Sen. David Vitter “has seen a large decline in his popularity over the last year, and that while he’s still favored to make the runoff for Governor he is in a bad position when it comes to a head to head match up with John Bel Edwards.”

Edwards now leads Vitter, 50% to 38%.

Key findings: “Vitter has become quite unpopular, with only 34% of voters rating him favorably to 51% with a negative opinion of him… A year ago Vitter looked like a clear favorite but he’s become very unpopular in the time since, and now it appears that there is a very good chance he will be defeated this fall.”

Vitter Asked About Prostitution Scandal

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Sen. David Vitter’s (R-LA) 2007 prostitution scandal has “been danced around in candidates’ forums for months, but the senator was confronted with a rare, direct question about his ‘serious sin’ during a public endorsement meeting Monday night,” the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.

Said Vitter: “This question was planted as a gotcha question at me. I’ve spoken about my past and how my family has dealt with that. If that’s not good enough for you, then that’s not good enough. But it’s good enough for Wendy.”

Bevin Won’t Raise Money

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Kentucky gubernatorial candidate Matt Bevin (R), who is self-financing his campaign, “appears to be taking a pass on raising money for himself, saying in reply to the question about hiring that Kentucky hasn’t had a chance to elect ‘someone who is unencumbered by anybody and anything’ since Democrat John Y. Brown Jr. was elected in 1979,” the Louisville Courier Journal reports.

Said Bevin: “It is equally unnerving to Republicans and Democrats.”

Bevin Moves to Make Gay Marriage Key Issue of Race

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Kentucky gubernatorial candidate Matt Bevin (R) said that he fully supports County Clerk Kim Davis’ right to refuse gay couples seeking marriage licenses, the Louisville Courier Journal reports.

Said Bevin: “I absolutely support her willingness to stand on her First Amendment rights. Without any question I support her.”

“The strong defense of Davis’ actions underscores how the GOP nominee hopes to make the fight over gay marriage a centerpiece of the 2015 governor’s race, which polling shows is a tight race between him and Democratic nominee Jack Conway.”

Extra Bonus Quote of the Day

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“I show up. I go to forums even when I don’t know what the questions are going to be. Oh, I have not frequented prostitution—and certainly have not done that sitting on the floor of the United States Congress.”

— Louisiana Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne (R), quoted by WRKF, contrasting himself with 2015 gubernatorial rival Sen. David Vitter (R).

Kasich Is Bigger Threat to Bush Than Trump

· 17 Comments

Caitlin Huey-Burns: “Over the past month, John Kasich has been moving in on Bush’s turf, gaining ground in the must-win state of New Hampshire. The Ohio governor is positioning himself as moderate Republicans’ viable alternative to Bush, with a more current resume and less baggage, while refraining from going after his Florida rival.”

“Bush and Trump aren’t really going after the same voters, but he and Kasich are definitely doing so.  In a field this crowded, the true threat comes not from the polar opposite candidate, but the one trying to be most like you.”

Taegan Goddard

Taegan Goddard

Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire -- which for more than two decades has been one of the nation's most influential political news sites.

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