In accessing the three candidates for the Louisiana State Senate office, I am not surprised to discover within myself a deep rooted sense of cynicism directed toward all candidates. However, each candidate does possess unique pros and cons, some of which I will briefly highlight in this blog.
Mary Landrieu (D) has been Louisiana's reigning elected official for many years, with over 30 years of service. If seniority is advantageous in politics, than Sen. Landrieu should certainly gain re-election over her opponents Bill Cassidy (R) and Rob Maness (R) through her credible experience in office. However, the fact that Sen. Landrieu has consistently sided in votes with 95% of President Obama's policies and proposals mean that many Louisiana patrons may feel betrayed by Landrieu's staunch support of an unpopular president according to Obama support (or lack thereof) within the state. Furthermore, Sen. Landrieu's recent denouncement of Obama care may strike some Louisianans' as disingenuous, being that she supported Obama care completely until it was eventually pushed through the house and senate. Now that the new health plan is in effect, and many citizens are displeased, Sen. Landrieu seems to be playing both sides of the fence and retracting her once blind support. Aside from her fickleness on Obama care, Sen. Landrieu has been at the corrupt helm of Louisiana politics for far too many years to not shoulder a hefty responsibility for the hurricane cleanup and re-building processes created by five, severe hurricanes over the last decade, including Katrina. Big government expansion, sweetheart deals and no-bid contract jobs have left New Orleans and surrounding areas leached upon by corporate profiteering. Sen. Landrieu has at worst facilitated this picking clean of the bone, and at best, turned a blind eye to the scavenging. The people of Louisiana should elect someone new in hopes of putting a stop to the pattern of poverty that plagues much of the state.
Her more serious opponent is republican and former house member Bill Cassidy (R). Rep. Cassidy, a once Mary Landrieu financial campaign contributor, has now decided that he can do a better job - unless he looses of course, at which time he may likely regain his support of Sen. Landrieu. With the healthcare crises in full bloom, I would like to believe that Rep. Cassidy could be of great use to the people of Louisiana, being a doctor and former teacher of medical students. He has worked to vaccinate over 36,000 school children from diseases and he established a free medical clinic for working families who were struggling to afford medical care as well as oversaw construction of field hospitals during hurricane Katrina. However, there is something unsettling about a former house of representatives member who boasts to not be a politician. As far as I'm concerned, once you have completed a term of office, you have already become ineffective as an advocate of the American people, and are rather subject to the insider deal making performed daily behind closed doors. "Quid pro qua" becomes the name of he game, not idealistic and fundamental change through restructuring and effective policy vetting.
The third candidate (who I don't believe has a real shot at defeating Sen. Landrieu) is retired Air Force Col. Rob Maness. Col. Maness served in the military for 32 years, beginning at age 17. He is new to the political arena (why I believe he will not find victory) and is a self titled "true conservative". While I applaud his military service, I'm not sure his credentials are solid enough to run the business of the state on a daily basis. I do not believe he has the political connections to be effective in office, because he is not accustomed to playing the hand in hand bi-partisan charade. As a small business owner and operator, he likely has some financial ideas on moving the state forward. However, a major selling point in his recent 2014 campaign ad focuses on his being in the pentagon during the September 11, attack. While his leadership can perhaps be assessed via his actions that day, they seem slightly irreverent in state legislation and more pro-motive of his previous line of work (Air Force Commander). While I favor many former military members for public office, they also need to be adequately armed for the political arena.
If I were casting a vote, I suppose I would throw it to Col. Maness. However, I believe the vote would not actually matter as it pertains to actual election result. My prediction is it will be Sen. Mary Landrieu by a wide to landslide margin.
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