Posted on 08/06/2013 2:08:22 PM PDT by abb
Gannett article.
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/08/state_lawmaker_to_run_for_rodn.html
State Sen. Neil Riser to run for Rodney Alexander’s seat
http://atr.rollcall.com/louisiana-congressman-to-endorse-candidate-for-alexanders-seat/
Louisiana Congressman to Endorse Candidate for Alexander’s Seat #LA05
Well, here’s Sen. Guillory’s chance if he wants to go to Congress.
It’s already wired for Riser.
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/08/rodney_alexander_to_join_jinda.html
Rodney Alexander to join Jindal administration, departure from Congress will trigger special election
By Lauren McGaughy, NOLA.com | The Times Picayune
August 07, 2013 at 1:19 PM, updated August 07, 2013 at 2:20 PM
Gov. Bobby Jindal announced Wednesday that U.S. Rep. Rodney Alexander will become the next Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs at the end of September. Alexander’s early departure from Congress means a special election will be held to fill the vacancy, but it is unclear when that election will take place.
Jindal made the announcement of Alexander’s appointment during a previously unscheduled stop in Monroe Wednesday afternoon. He said Alexander would leave Congress on Sept. 26 and join the administration the following Monday.
This would necessitate a special election to fill Alexander’s 5th District seat. It is unclear when this election would take place, but candidates — including state Sen. Neil Riser, R-Columbia — are already announcing their interest in the seat.
Dangit!! I got all excited for an instant until I realized it said ‘Rep. Alexander’ instead of ‘Sen. Alexander.’ [spit]
This story assumes that Guillory won’t run for Congress to concentrate on a Lt. Gov. run in 2015: http://thehayride.com/2013/08/rodney-alexander-calls-it-quits-wont-run-in-2014/
Pundits all seem to be repeating that Guillory doesn’t have a “base” in the LA-05. But the CD is 33% black, and the special election will be a jungle primary with a top-two runoff if no one gets 50%+1, so I could see Guillory finishing second in the first round and beating Riser in the runoff by getting almost all of the black vote and 35%-40% of the white vote.
It looks like Neil Riser will be the next Congressman. Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy may run. I don’t know much about either one of them.
Ain’t happening. Marcus Hunter (Louisiana House 17, D, Monroe) has announced. That will peel off most of the black vote and prevent any “moderate” white Democrat from challenging Riser. Additionally, the election is already set for 10/19, with qualifying 8/14-8/16 (next week).
Riser is the only person able to hit the ground running.
Representative Marcus L. Hunter
Democrat District 17 - See more at: http://house.louisiana.gov/h_reps/members.asp?ID=17#sthash.l69AtvMi.dpuf
What I said was that if Guillory faced Riser in the runoff, he could win by getting the black vote and 35-40% of the white vote. If two Dems and two or three Republicans (including Guillory) run, I think that Riser and Guillory will make the runoff.
State Sen Neil Riser (R) with 32% and Businessman Vance McAllister (R) with 18% advance to the runoff. McAllister spent a lot of his own money and was endorsed by that reality show Duck guy.
The rat Mayor of Monroe placed third with 15% and former Rep. Clyde Holloway (R) placed 4th with 11%.
Libertarian S. B. A. Zaitoon of Baton Rogue (who didn’t know Baton Rouge wasn’t in the district) placed 14th (last) with 0.12%.
Given that margin, McAllister should concede the runoff and let Riser take his seat ASAP.
Wont’ happen. McAllister is self-funded, very conservative, motivated, and is vocally supported by the “Duck Dynasty” crew.
Riser is more the “establishment” candidate, but has solid conservative bona fides as a state senator for the past few years. I know him and served on the GOP state central committee with him in the late 90’s.
It will be a close race, imo.
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