Edwards, whom the New York Times described as a “Catholic social conservative from a family of rural law enforcement officers who graduated from West Point and served eight years of active duty in the Army”, won his hard-fought campaign in part by casting doubt on Vitter’s ethics. The Related Press referred to as the competition as Edwards, a state representative, led Vitter 55 % to 45 %, with 57 % of precincts reporting. A line of Republicans interested in the seat has already formed. And the lack of party primaries allowed the Louisiana Democrat Party to largely collapse after Kathleen Blanco’s failed term as governor in 2007 and 2011; the Democrats didn’t effectively present an alternative to Bobby Jindal in either year, though had there been a party primary we might have seen a head-to-head matchup vetting Jindal against either Foster Campbell or Walter Boasso in 2007. Mr. Vitter was thought to be that Republican, given his overwhelming fund-raising advantage, unquestioned conservative reputation and proven skill at crushing challengers.
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Mr Edwards and Mr Vitter had advanced to the run-off following the state’s open “jungle primary” last month, in which candidates of all parties run against each other, with the top two contesting a run-off if neither secures 50 per cent of the overall vote.
Vitter’s defeat is a harsh blow in a once-promising political career.
Let’s start with the current political environment in Louisiana, for example.
An investigative blogger published an interview with a former escort who claimed to have carried on a yearslong affair with Mr. Vitter.
Vitter is fighting by accusing Edwards of being soft on terrorism.
Edwards will be the only Democratic governor in the Deep South, where Republicans dominate politically.
Edwards, the House minority leader, in recent years became one of the fiercest legislative critics of Jindal’s budgetary policy, lodging objections from his post in the rear of the chamber. Kansas’ Sam Brownback (R) was the only governor in the country who was more loathed by his constituents than Jindal. In the runoff, as money began pouring into the race, Edwards proved adept on offense, hitting Vitter hard on the prostitution scandal and keeping the focus on personality over party. But Edwards also makes a virtue of necessity by calling for Republicans and Democrats in the State Capitol to come together in common objective.
However, he acknowledged the Vitter loss was “disappointing”. Democrats tried to make it an issue in Vitter’s 2010 re-election bid. Vitter responded to the state’s rebuke by saying in that he’ll retire from the Senate fairly than seek reelection in 2016. “I moved here two years ago under Jindal, and he has not been good for the state”. A third Republican, state Treasurer John Kennedy, has indicated interest but said Sunday “people have had enough politics for a while”. Each runoff contender sought to tie his opponent to an unpopular figure in Louisiana: Edwards claimed Vitter would represent a “Jindal third term”, while Vitter tagged Edwards as an “Obama liberal”. Boustany, Fleming and Kennedy all attended Vitter’s gubernatorial party Saturday night, in spite of knowing he likely wouldn’t win.
Running for state office, though, the charges stuck.
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Though Edwards offered a few light moments – “After waking up I read three newspapers, all of which reported the same results (of the election)”, he said – most of his press was devoted to serious issues looming after he takes office January 11. “I’m going to go duck hunting with my son”. Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle was considering a run for Senate, even if Vitter had chose to run for re-election.
