Names floating in, out of developing Senate race

With U.S. Sen. David Vitter expected to not seek re-election in 2016, there has been rush of names ahead of the turn of the year as politicos try to outmaneuver each other before the race begins in earnest.
The latest news comes from Congressman John Fleming, who officially announced via a web video on Monday, and state Rep. Paul Hollis, who said he is thinking about running.
Calling himself a “passionate conservative,” Fleming, a Republican from Minden, is already staking out a position to the far right with criticisms of President Barack Obama and the GOP establishment.
“But there is more blame to go around,” Fleming said in his announcement video. “We have too many in Washington who are all too willing to just go along with the status quo and not make any waves.”
Hollis, a Covington Republican who was re-elected to another term in the Louisiana Legislature this fall, said he has received an outpouring of encouragement from neighbors and friends.
“With the growing threat of Isis abroad and at home, lackluster economic growth, and continued issues with Obamacare and other failed big government programs, we need a proven conservative as our next U.S. senator who won’t back down, won’t make excuses, and won’t cave in under pressure,” he said.
Also expected to formally announce his bid soon is Republican Congressman Charles Boustany of Lafayette. He has already staffed up for the race and has told donors he intends to run.
Said to be looking at the possibility as well are Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle, who lost his campaign for governor this year; retired Air Force Col. Rob Maness, who ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in 2014; and state Treasurer John Kennedy. All are Republicans.
New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, who has been leading the speculation on the Democratic side of the developing field, told LaPolitics last week that he would not be a candidate.
Caroline Fayard, another Democrat from New Orleans who ran for lieutenant governor in 2010, is making the usual rounds, though, and looks to be an early contender.
A recap of the super PAC impact
It was the super PAC that received the least amount of attention this cycle that spent the most on Election Day in November in the governor’s race.
According to campaign finance reports filed last week with the state Ethics Administration, Louisiana Families First spent $86,000 on Nov. 21, with the bulk of the money going into traditional GOTV (Get Out The Vote) efforts.
Payments of $20,000 each for “voter outreach” were paid to the New Orleans chapter of the Service Employees International Union and G&G Leasing of Shreveport. Another $23,000 went into automated phone calls.
The Families First PAC was set up and run by term limited state Sen. Ben Nevers, D-Bogalusa, to support the gubernatorial campaign of state Rep. John Bel Edwards.
Gov.-elect Edwards named Nevers as his chief of staff the week after the runoff.
In comparison, the Fund For Louisiana’s Future, which was established to back U.S. Sen. David Vitter, spent $12,700 on Election Day and the anti-Vitter GUMBO PAC spent $41,000, both mostly on TV.
As for the candidates, Edwards spent $200,000 on Election Day while Vitter spent $26,500.
According to the Center for Public Integrity, there were 10 different outside groups, like political action committees and super PACs, that sought to influence the race for governor this year.
When compared to the elections held in other states in 2015, none had as many outside players as Louisiana’s race for governor.
Collectively, the groups spent $9.8 million on TV, out of $20 million overall, including expenditures from the candidates.
Super PACs are different from PACs in that they are allowed to raise unlimited amounts of money thanks to a U.S. Supreme Court decision.
Tangled web forming in 3rd Congressional District
With Congressman Charles Boustany, a Lafayette Republican, apparently abandoning the 3rd District to run for the U.S. Senate in 2016, a long and complicated line of potential successors is forming up.
The latest name to surface belongs to state Rep. Stuart Bishop, also a Lafayette Republican, who has the personal finances to jumpstart a media-based campaign. Bishop said he has not made up his mind and is being encouraged to run by voters in the district and his donor base.
Should he run, it would partly be a race of legislators and former legislators. Two other outgoing lawmakers, Rep. Brett Geymann of Lake Charles, who has already started campaigning, and Sen. Elbert Guillory of Opelousas, who is merely flirting at this point, are both part of the mix. Both men are Republicans.
Lafayette Parish School Board Member Erick Knezek is meeting with supporters and looks to be a candidate in the developing race and Greg Ellison, the general manager of Kitty Hawk Energy, appears to be in the beginning stages of a potential run as well.
Edwards press secretary to fly solo
Mary-Patricia Wray, fresh off a victory lap in the governor’s race, tells LaPolitics she will soon be returning to her lobbying and consulting firm, Top Drawer Strategies LLC.
That means Wray, who was the press secretary and communications director for Rep. John Bel Edwards’ gubernatorial campaign, will be running her own shop rather than joining the new administration.
She is also currently the communications director for the Edwards transition team.
“Working for the governor-elect for the past few years has been an honor,” said Wray, one of Edwards’ earliest supporters. “I’m excited to utilize all of the great relationships I’ve built to help my clients be successful on the first floor and the fourth floor, too.”
For his incoming administration, Edwards has selected Richard Carbo as his new communications director. An Alexandria native, Carbo worked for former Gov. Kathleen Blanco and former U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu.
They Said It
“If anybody is looking for a weight loss diet, run for Louisiana governor.”
—Rep. Sam Jones, on The Jim Engster Show
“He kind of kills everyone with kindness. He’s very smooth.”
—Gov.-elect John Bel Edwards’ spokeswoman Mary-Patricia Wray, describing Edwards chief of staff state Sen. Ben Nevers, on The Jim Engster Show
For more Louisiana political news, visit www.LaPolitics.com or follow Jeremy Alford on Twitter @LaPoliticsNow.