A Rundown of the Runoff (And the LCRM)

When David and Wendy Vitter formed the Louisiana Committee for a Republican Majority, they had one simple goal: To parlay the term limits Vitter had enacted as a State legislator into a new Republican majority. On Saturday night, over a year’s worth of fundraising, recruiting, and campaigning all ended for the LCRM, though we can certainly expect the PAC to reemerge in future elections.

A few months ago, the LCRM published a list of 27 Louisiana House races they were “targeting.” However, even though they officially “targeted” 27 House seats, it seems they changed strategies a little over a month before the jungle primary (or they just lost very, very badly and had no idea what they were doing). That said, it is still instructive to look at the results of the initial 27 seats targeted by the LCRM:

(Note: The LCRM targeted these seats based on their previous support for David Vitter and George W. Bush. In other words, they knew these to be “Republican-friendly” districts).

Of the 27 districts initially targeted by the LCRM, only 8 of them are now held by Republicans.

In fact, 18 of the 27 targeted districts (or 67%) elected Democrats. (There’s one Independent).

In 10 of the 27 districts, the LCRM failed to recruit any Republican opposition.

HD1: Jim Morris; Republican, elected in jungle primary.

HD7: “Richie” Buford; Republican, elected in runoff.

HD9: Henry Burns; Republican, elected in jungle primary (cleared by 87 votes).

HD10: Jean Doerge, Democrat, elected in jungle primary.

HD13: Jim Fannin, Democrat, elected in jungle primary (The LCRM failed to recruit a Republican for this seat).

HD14: “Sam” Little, Republican, elected in runoff by only nine votes.

HD19: “Bubba” Chaney, Democrat, elected in jungle primary. (The LCRM failed to recruit a Republican for this seat).

HD20: Noble Ellington, Democrat, elected in runoff. (The LCRM failed to recruit a Republican for this seat).

HD24: “Frankie” Howard, Republican, elected in runoff.

HD25: Chris Roy, Jr., Democrat, elected in runoff. (Opponent was former assistant to Senator Vitter).

HD27: Chris Hazel, Republican, elected in jungle primary. (The LCRM “indirectly” spent over $70,000 on Hazel’s campaign alone).

HD30: James Armes, Democrat, elected in runoff.

HD32: Dorothy Sue Hill, Democrat, elected in runoff.

HD39: Bobby Badon, Democrat, elected in runoff. (Badon defeated “LaLa” LaLonde).

HD41: Mickey Gullory, Democrat, unopposed. (The LCRM failed to recruit a Republican for this seat).

HD42: Jack Mountocet, Democrat, elected in jungle primary.

HD46: Fred H. Mills, Jr., Democrat, elected in jungle primary. (The LCRM failed to recruit a Republican for this seat).

HD47: Jonathan Perry, Republican, elected in jungle primary.

HD48: Taylor Barras, Democrat, elected in runoff. (The LCRM failed to recruit a Republican for this seat).

HD49: Simone Champagne, Democrat, ran unopposed. (The LCRM failed to recruit a Republican for this seat).

HD50: Sam Jones, Democrat, elected in runoff.

HD53: Damon Baldone, Democrat, elected in jungle primary.

HD55: “Dee” Richard, Independent, elected in runoff.

HD56: Gary Smith, Jr., Democrat, elected in jungle primary (The LCRM failed to recruit a Republican for this seat).

HD75: Harold Ritchie, Democrat, ran unopposed. (The LCRM failed to recruit a Republican for this seat).

HD84: Patrick Connick, Republican, ran unopposed.

HD103: Reed Henderson, Democrat, elected in runoff.

But these numbers are only a part of the story. We’re waiting on the latest round of finance reports before telling the rest.

Thanks to the work of PointeCoupeeDemocrat and social activist Mike Stagg, the ideological underpinnings and the financing mechanisms of the LCRM have been thoroughly exposed and analyzed.

As an aside, PCD’s work was sometimes focused on lower profile, rural races, and it’s worth noting that Jack Causey (who received only 5.5% of his campaign warchest from within his own district) and Mitch Theriot (both of whom were the subject of at least one article by PCD) were defeated on Saturday night.

Responses

pointecoupeedemocrat

November 19, 2007

Lamar,

you are too kind. i doubt anything i posted here or elsewhere had an effect on the election.

Reply
Chronos

November 19, 2007

Does this mean that Vitter will go back to the hooker? Oh, and Rodney Alexander must be defeated. Lamar, PCD, that’s the next mission from now until the primary next year.

Reply
Aged

November 20, 2007

Guys,

Don’t get too excited over the last cycle. “It’s the Speakership, Stupid” should have been the Democratic motto. 53 seats is nice and dandy for press clippings, but what the LCRM really wants is the Speakership. If they get control of that, they get to redraw the districts.

We can laugh in their face if we lock down that post, because we will then draw the maps. But if the Republicans get the Speaker, they are going to threaten every single one of our guys with new, ugly distrcits that will force them to switch parties. In other words, the LCRM may get the last laugh. Make no doubt about it, this election was about a Republican Speaker of the House, with the majority only being a consolation prize bc they know they’ll get that if they control the Speaker.

I like the blog. good work.

Reply
Lamar White, Jr

November 20, 2007

Thank you, Aged, for bringing up an important point.

If the LCRM is truly following the model of Tom Delay’s TRMPAC, then gerrymandering is definitely the ultimate goal and a Republican majority is actually the penultimate.

Reply
pointecoupeedemocrat

November 20, 2007

Aged,

Those who are the ostensible leaders of the state Party must demand that Democratic legislators vote for the Democratic candidate who desires to serve as Speaker. And the Democratic activists from Daily Kos, Swing State Project and MyDD who bankrolled Karen Carter’s failed attempt to oust Bill Jefferson in 2006 should assail her for betraying her Party by casting a vote for Jim Tucker (R-Algiers). Moreover, officials in the DNC and in the state Party should inform Karen Carter that revenue will be denied to the Congressional campaign she will most probably launch in 2008 if she does not help elect a Democratic speaker.

Karen Carter believes a vote for Jim Tucker will neutralize the opposition on the West Bank that derailed her campaign during the runoff in 2006. Somehow she fails to understand how that opposition no longer exists now that Harry Lee has passed and Derrick Shepherd is embroiled in scandal.
Instead of casting a vote for Tucker in the interest of her 2008 Congressional campaign, she should vote on behalf of the residents of her district and on behalf of the Party of which she is an ostensible member. And if she does vote for Tucker, she will have to contend with bloggers and with activists who will offer vigorous and vociferous support for one of the other Democrats who will challenge Bill Jefferson during the 2008 Democratic primary. Besides, a vote for Tucker is a vote for corruption and for the misuse and abuse of federal money earmarked for Orleans Parish’s recovery. Not only would a vote for Tucker and his ethical lapses conflict with the theme of her 2006 campaign; it will complicate her 2008 campaign, as the registered Republicans in Orleans Parish who mindlessly follow Tucker’s orders cannot vote in the Democratic primary to be instituted during the 2008 election cycle. Carter will hopefully keep this in mind when she casts her vote for Speaker.

Reply
Charles

November 21, 2007

Let it begin with Rottney!

Reply
maringouin

November 21, 2007

Check out this slant on the state of the Louisiana HofR from the Times Picayune

http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-9/1195626582247670.xml&coll=1

Reply