John Fleming Positioned to Make Runoff for Senate Seat

Photo source: Wikipedia

In the latest JMC Analytics and Polling, which was commissioned by the Fleming campaign, shows that Fleming is positioned to make the runoff for the Senate seat being vacated by David Vitter. 

The poll, which can be seen here, shows Fleming “winning the Republican primary” with a 27-25% lead over Kennedy among Republicans. If undecided voters are included, he expands to a 30-25% lead over Kennedy.

It also shows that Foster Campbell, one of two Democrats running in the election, is the likely candidate for a runoff in the election against one of the Republicans in the race, which are likely Fleming, Charles Boustany or John Kennedy.

Read more: Statewide Polling Results
 

Charles Boustany Releases a Piece Called "Finally" Regarding Treasurer John Kennedy

Photo source: YouTube

Congressman Charles Boustany, running for the seat being vacated in the US Senate by David Vitter, is in a heated contest with, among others, State Treasurer John Kennedy.  It seems that Boustany has set his sights on Kennedy with the latest piece being put out by the campaign, along with an accompanying video, highlighting what Boustany calls a "truth telling parody".

Below accompanied the video in an email released today:

The ad says: “He’s a career politician. He’s run for office ten different times.1 Backed a $1.1 billion tax increase.2
 
“John Kennedy led costly short-term budget gimmicks that cost taxpayers $200 million.3 Wasted taxpayer money renting office space from one of his campaign contributors.4
 
“Budget gimmicks. While the state’s credit rating is downgraded.5 John Kennedy: finally, someone is calling him out.”

1Career politician John Kennedy ran for office ten different times from 1991-2016.

1. 1991 – Attorney General (D), lost

2. 1995 – Attorney General (D), withdrew

3. 1999 – Treasurer (D), won

4. 2003 – Treasurer (D), won

5. 2004 – Senate (D), lost

6. 2007 – Treasurer (R), won

7. 2008 – Senate (R), lost

8. 2011 – Treasurer (R), won

9. 2015 – Treasurer (R), won

10.  2016 – Senate (R)

2John Kennedy backed a $1.1 billion tax increase on Louisiana oil & gas earlier this year as a way to make up the state’s budget shortfall. On WWL-Radio New Orleans, Kennedy claimed: “The total amount of waste and inefficiencies that the legislative auditor in these 36 reports identified just last year, in 2015, is $1.745 billion.” When challenged on his numbers, Treasurer Kennedy provided a report on government waste to Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards identifying $1.7 billion in ‘waste’ – including $1.148 billion in uncollected revenue from the state’s temporary tax exemption on hydraulic fracturing from 2010-2014.
 
3A performance review of the Louisiana Bond Commission in February found that short-term budget gimmicks employed by Kennedy as Chairman of the Bond Commission dating back to the 2010-2011 budget year helped plug short-term budget gaps, but incurred long-term costs to the state of as much as $231 million.
 
4A report by The Advocate found that the Treasurer’s Office has leased office space since 2011 at One City Plaza in Baton Rouge at a cost of $369,597 per year to taxpayers. The Treasurer repeatedly ignored attempts from the Office of Facility Planning and Control to move to state-owned office space that would have saved the state $293,868 per year. Kennedy has received $21,600 in campaign contributions from the owner of the facility.

5Louisiana’s credit rating was downgraded by Moody’s in February 2016. According to the AP: “Treasurer John Kennedy said Moody’s decision surprised him."

And John Bel Edwards is Supporting This

Bananas Foster: Talks straight, can't spell!!!!  

This wants to be your next Senator from Louisiana. 

Photo source : Twitter

Fleming: Voters Frustrated by Both Parties' Leadership

Photo source: The Advocate

“The Democratic Party has moved so far to the left that it’s fully aligned with socialism,” Fleming, a Minden Republican who is running for the U.S. Senate, told the Press Club of Baton Rouge.

Coupled with that, he said, are Republicans, who in 2010 asked voters to give them a majority in the U.S. House so the party could fix problems. “But nothing changed.” In 2014, voters also gave Republicans a majority in the U.S. Senate. “And folks, nothing changed,” Fleming said.

Read more: Louisiana congressman John Fleming: Voters frustrated by both Republicans and Democrats' leadership

Charles Boustanty Calls Out Caroline Fayard Over Obama's Gitmo Comments

During another one of his almost daily legacy making speeches as of late, President Obama has decided to push his agenda of moving Guantanamo Bay prisoners to the US, effectively pandering to the left on his quest to close this facility. 

In what is shaping up to be an epic battle for the seat in the US Senate being vacated by Sen. David Vitter, Charles Boustany issued the following today:

Campaign Manager Michael Hare: “If Caroline Fayard won’t stand up to protect Louisiana families now, how will she stand up for them in the United States Senate? President Obama is hell-bent on bringing hardened terrorists to our backyard, but Caroline Fayard hasn’t said a word about it. Dr. Boustany will continue to stand up to protect Louisiana families from President Obama’s dangerous terrorist resettlement plan. He won’t let President Obama put families at risk just to allow the President to fulfill an eight-year-old campaign promise.”

Boustany had the following to say today during a radio interview on Baton Rouge 107.3:

“If the President tries to close Guantanamo Bay, he will be in direct violation of the law. I won’t stand for that. Congress makes law, not the President, and we will not allow him to put American families at risk.”

Let's see if this latest shot over the bow provokes a response from the Democratic candidate Fayard.

Caroline "I Hate Republicans" Fayard Joins Crowded Senate Field

Failed Lt. Governor's candidate and ethically challenged Democrat, Caroline Fayard, has ventured into the Senate race to replace retiring Sen. David Vitter.  You might remember her from a few of the following Fayard Facts:

Caroline Fayard Facts

Fayard Supports Barack Obama.

Fayard Praised Obama For Standing Up To Republicans And Predicted His Re-Election: Fayard: "Our president started to stand up to them. He will win re-election as a result. (Republicans) know it. We know it." (“Candidate or not?” Washington Parish Daily News, 3/27/11)

In October 2010 Fayard Gave Obama A B+ Grade.  "Republicans are slamming the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor because she gave positive marks to President Obama in a recent candidate forum.  Caroline Fayard, a New Orleans lawyer making her first bid for an elected office, said she would give Obama a "B+" for his performance so far.”  (Melinda Deslatte, “Republicans rally their faithful in BR,” Associated Press, 10/26/10)

Also In October 2010 Fayard Called Obamacare "A Net Positive For Louisiana":“HOST: President Barack Obama’s healthcare plan, is it good or bad for Louisiana?  MODERATOR: Starting with Caroline.  FAYARD: I think it’s a net positive for Louisiana. (League of Women Voters Candidate Forum, 10/22/10)

Caroline Fayard's Website "geauxcaroline.com" Featured A Photo Of Her Standing Beside Barack Obama.

FACT: Caroline Fayard Hates Republicans

Fayard: “I hate Republicans. I hate Republicans,” [Caroline] Fayard said … “They are cruel and destructive. They eat their young. They don’t think. They don’t allow people to think. They are bullies.” (“Candidate or not?” Washington Parish Daily News, 3/27/11

Additionally, Fayard has skirted the rules regarding campaign contributions.  Per the LAGOP email blast sent out yesterday, the following was provided:

Fayard's parents wrote a huge check to the Louisiana Democrat Party when she ran for office, and the Democrats spent a similar amount on their daughter's campaign, allegedly sidestepping the $5,000 contribution limit imposed by Louisiana law.

Kennedy Announces Via Facebook His Intent to Run for US Senate

State Treasurer Kohn Kennedy released this via his Facebook page this morning: 

Photo source: Facebook  

​I will be a candidate for the United States Senate in 2016.

The reason is pretty simple: I want my country back. I'm scared we are losing it.

My Dad and Mom were conservative people. Dad was a small businessman. He owned a little lumberyard. Mom was a retired schoolteacher. They taught me conservative values: God, country, family, discipline, hard work, and education. They taught me to always do the best I can. I worry that America is losing those values.

Here's what I see: too many undeserving people at the top getting bailouts and too many undeserving people at the bottom getting handouts. And we in the middle get the bill. So will our kids. It's not right.

The sad truth is that our children's generation is at risk of becoming the first in America to be worse off than their parents', because it's harder than ever to get ahead and easier than ever to do nothing.

I want more for my country and my state.

I want a country that respects taxpayer dollars. I'm sick of the waste, and I'm sick of the debt.

I want an America and a Louisiana where every person can get a decent job. You can't be for jobs if you are against business. To create jobs, our businesses need low taxes, sensible regulations, good infrastructure and a skilled workforce.

I want an America and a Louisiana in which no parents have to send their child to a failing school.

I want an America and a Louisiana where parents can take their sick child to a family doctor instead of to an emergency room because they have decent, affordable insurance of their own choosing from the private sector.

I want a country that is strong and therefore free, that values peace but is not afraid to fight back. America is the most powerful country in the history of the world. We need to start acting like it.

I want an America and a Louisiana that understand that free market capitalism has done more to lift people out of poverty than all the government programs put together. Welfare was meant to be a bridge, not a parking lot.

I want a country and a state that protect life – whether that life is 82 years old or 82 seconds.

Most Louisianians know me and what I stand for. As State Treasurer, I've balanced 16 department budgets, earned taxpayers $3.4 billion by investing their money wisely, returned $315 million in lost money to citizens, refused to join the state retirement system, fought against corruption and cronyism, and stood up to politicians more powerful than I am in both parties.

I try not to be rude, but I speak my mind. Some politicians call me a troublemaker, a misfit, a rebel, a square peg in a round hole, because I'm not part of the club. I think I make the right people mad. My job is to protect taxpayers, not seek the approval of my political peers.

I hope voters will give me a chance to do the same thing in the United States Senate. I believe our country and our state can be better than our present, and our past.

May God bless us and keep us, and make his face shine upon us, Louisiana and the United States of America.”

Rob Maness Will Run for Vitter's Senate Seat

Photo source: The Hill

The Hill is reporting that retired Col. Rob Maness will seek Sen. David Vitter's Senate seat in the upcoming election.  Vitter has announced that he will not seek re-election after his defeat in the recent Louisiana Governor's election.

Per the piece, the following was reported:

Col. Rob Maness, the Tea Party challenger in the 2014 Louisiana Senate race, will mount another Senate bid in 2016. 

Maness declared his intention to fill retiring Republican Sen. David Vitter’s seat in a new filing with the Federal Election Commission Tuesday that lists him as a candidate for the upcoming race. Politico first reported the filing. 

Win Against Planned Parenthood Yesterday in the US Senate

Photo source: Wikipedia

The Planned Parenthood provision to strip taxpayer funding from the House budget reconciliation bill survived hostile amendments yesterday to refund. Louisiana Family Forum sent an appeal to the U.S. House and Senate regarding this issue.

Louisiana Senators David Vitter and Bill Cassidy both voted to defund Planned Parenthood.

Per LFF, the following was achieved with this victory yesterday:

"It not only defunds Planned Parenthood, but it redirects that Federal money to women's health care organizations that provide far greater health benefits to women than Planned Parenthood ever provided, not just because they do not provide abortion, but rather because they offer far more services than Planned Parenthood does, and are more readily available then Planned Parenthood is."

We can only hope this is a sign of more good things to come in the pro-life movement.  Planned Parenthood's vision of the slaughter and sale of body parts is the exact reason why the taxpayers should not be funding this organization and why those resources should be focused elsewhere for women's health.

TIME TO BUILD THE KEYSTONE PIPELINE

Dear Friend, 

We’ve been working to pass the Keystone XL Pipeline for four years. It would obviously create good-paying jobs and increase our energy independence. It’s a no-brainer. 

But thanks to a President committed to undermining domestic energy production and major energy projects, it hasn’t been able to get approved. President Obama and Democrats in Congress just keep kicking the can down the road. 

But, we’re finally moving a step forward. The House of Representatives passed legislation written by Dr. Bill Cassidy to finally approve the Keystone Pipeline. 

There is no other single project that has the same positive jobs benefit, the same positive energy security benefit, and five clean environmental impact statements. It has broad-based support, reflecting the majority of Americans understanding that Washington needs to stop getting in the way of our economic recovery. 

It’s long past time to approve the Keystone XL pipeline. I’ve worked with colleagues in the Senate since 2011 to push this forward, and I’ll continue to fight until it’s complete. 

As always, I’m interested in hearing your thoughts on energy, the Keystone XL pipeline, and other issues important to you. Please contact me with your ideas at any of my state offices or in my Washington office. You can also reach me online at vitter.senate.gov. 

Sincerely,  

David Vitter  
United States Senator

BEN CARSON TO CAMPAIGN FOR BILL CASSIDY AT TEA PARTY RALLY SATURDAY

For the ones that continually castigate Bill Cassidy for not being “Tea-Party enough”, please explain to me why one of the strongest liberty advocates is coming to Louisiana to help out? Do what’s best for Louisiana at this point in history and vote for Cassidy.

Carson joins the list of several nationally prominent political figures making campaign stops in Louisiana as candidates make their final pushes before Election Day on Nov. 4.

Former Republican presidential nominee and U.S. Sen. John McCain has also recently visited the state to campaign for Cassidy.

via Ben Carson to campaign for Bill Cassidy at Tea Party rally Saturday | NOLA.com.

MCDANIEL HELPING MANESS IN LOUISIANA RACE

Chris McDaniel is endorsing and helping Rob Maness in his bid for Louisiana U.S. Senate.

Republican Maness faces incumbent Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu and Republican Rep. Bill Cassidy in a race that is expected to go to a runoff, with Maness polling behind the other two.

The tea party backed Maness campaign in its announcement called McDaniel “the top vote getter in the Mississippi U.S. Senate primary race.”

McDaniel lost the Mississippi GOP primary to incumbent Sen. Thad Cochran, but is challenging the loss in court.

via McDaniel helping Maness in Louisiana race.

LOUISIANA FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE ENDORSES DR. BILL CASSIDY FOR US SENATE