Vitter announces he will not seek re-election to US Senate....

[Historic NY]

more details to follow. Wow now here a good chance to pickup that seat....Bel Edwards can probably work some magic to make it happen.

Senator David Vitter has conceded the Louisiana Governor's race to Democrat John Bel Edwards. In his concession speech, Vitter also announced that he will not run for reelection to the U.S. Senate next fall. 936 PM...

http://www.wwl.com/The-Latest-Democrat-Edwards-wins-Louisiana-governo/22203561

[TlalocW]

1. I think it will be possible but tough

I wonder how much of a win this was for Edwards but really people voting against Vitter since the Lt. Governorship went to a republican. I'm not a Louisianan though. Is that a normal thing - to split it like that?

TlalocW

[Docreed2003]

5. It isn't unusual...

Half my family is from LA and most of them tend to be more traditional conservative. My father in law, a man whom I love like my own father, happens to be very conservative and he voted for Edwards....because Vitter was "a huge asshole". I have no doubt he also voted for the GOP candidate for LT Gov.

[pacalo]

9. One of New Orleans' political pundits, Clancy Dubois, said...

it was more a referendum against Jindal.

(He must be friendly with Vitter. )

[TlalocW]

11. Or just being a republican did it

Though I wasn't much attention to see if Jindal was stumping for Vitter.

I know Edwards is anti-choice, but I hope that doesn't stop him from reversing a few Jindal policies like trying to defund Planned Parenthood.

TlalocW

[pacalo]

13. A Times-Picayune article shows that you have a good grasp...

An Edwards administration is expected to be a marked shift from Gov. Bobby Jindal's approach to public policy over the past eight years. The Democrat is expected to bring Medicaid expansion to Louisiana shortly after taking office, meaning thousands of more Louisiana residents could have access to health insurance in a couple of months. Teachers unions and other organized labor groups will also have more of a voice with Edwards than they ever had with Jindal.

(...)

...A West Point graduate who served in the Legislature for eight years, Edwards led the primary with 40 percent of the vote, built up big leads in the polls and bulked up his fundraising during the runoff. The Democrat emphasized his conservative views on topics like abortion and guns throughout the campaign, in order to stave off concerns that he was too liberal for Louisiana.

(...)

But some of Vitter's problems may not have had much to do with him at all. Gov. Bobby Jindal's unpopularity in Louisiana may have hurt Vitter's campaign. Recent polling shows Louisiana voters are tired of Jindal, and could be looking for a big change in the Governor's Mansion. Vitter and Jindal don't get along, but they share many of the same views on public policy.

"Clearly, the voters wanted a change," said state Treasurer John Kennedy, a Republican who campaigned relentlessly for Vitter.

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/11/louisiana_governor_democrat.html

[Iliyah]

2. Ok, SC - Sandford

He sits at the House of Rep. GOPers

[Fuddnik]

3. He's retiring to The Chicken Ranch in Nevada.

[longship]

6. He is, however, looking for a new binkie. nt

[TlalocW]

7. I have to say that I'm OD'ing on the Schadenfreude with Vitter

His hypocrisy really pissed me off, and the fact that he was welcomed back to the senate with a standing ovation from his fellow repubs... Just wow.

TlalocW

[gvstn]

12. Absolutely no remorse.

And every Repug welcomed him back. Shows their true colors despite their protect family values speeches.

[herding cats]

8. Edwards ran a good campaign

He damaged Vitter to the point he's no longer electable there if he were to be challenged in the primaries.

It's conservative, and a US senate race takes more money than the governors race. The odds are we won't be able to put up a candidate who will appeal to the voting population in the state and be able to run a competitive race there. Pickings are thin when it comes to choices and so are the funds.

[Historic NY]

10. I don't know who the Dems lined up to run against Vitter earlier...

but I think if Bel Edwards get medicare through before Nov. it might change the entire complexion of Republican dominance.