2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumVitter Slithers Back to Bayou - America’s Most Contemptible Senator
Michael Tomasky
Theres No Getting Rid of David Vitter, Americas Most Contemptible Senator
After surviving a prostitution scandal and a dead madam, the Republican wants to be the Bayou States next governor.
I was once shooting the breeze with a Democratic senator I knew fairly well. This was a few years ago, back when the toxic atmosphere wasnt quite as hideous as it would become. Just on a personal level, I asked: Who on the other side is surprisingly nice, and whos just a real prick? I dont remember the surprisingly nice answers, but on the S.O.B. factor the senators response was immediate: David Vitter.
Hes a nasty piece of work, the junior senator from Louisiana. He doesnt seem to like anybody. He loathes senior senator Mary Landrieu, he detests Governor Bobby Jindal, he despises the media. They all pretty much hate him back. And yet, by merely announcing, he immediately became the odds-on favorite to win the governors race in 2015. Why?
The announcement may seem surprising to those of us outside the state, but this was the worst-kept secret in Louisiana, a political operative with knowledge of the state told me Monday. Vitter has been holding a series of town-hall meetings and tele-town-hall meetings, signaling the obvious intention.
Ill get to race handicapping in a few paragraphs, but first lets deal with the only thing most people know about David Vitter (who has not, by the way, distinguished himself in the Senate in any way). Ive always wondered: How in the world did he survive that hooker business? Not only did he admit he was a client of Deborah Jeane Palfreys escort service. She then went and hanged herself. Not over him personally. Over the whole mess, and staring at serious jail time. But still. Extramarital relations are one thing, with a staffer or a woman of accomplishment; politicians almost always slog their way through that. But here we had the guy calling on hookers, and the dead body of the madam. And Vitter skated through it and sailed to reelection two years later. How?
more
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/01/22/there-s-no-getting-rid-of-david-vitter-america-s-most-contemptible-senator.html
LuvNewcastle
(16,820 posts)I don't understand why they do it. I guess D.C. might be a lonely place for Vitter, considering how many enemies he's made, but if you have a safe seat in Congress, you can just coast along until retirement. I'm thinking that the money must have dried up for future Senate races, but he can get the money for a governor's race, so he's going that route. Or maybe Vitter just does what the GOP tells him to do. I can see why Mary Landrieu would run. I'm sure she's tired of having to fight such a battle for re-election every time, but if I was a Senator with a safe seat, nobody would be able to pry me from it, certainly not to go back and be a governor.
Beacool
(30,244 posts)More and more are giving up the dysfunctional Congress. It's negativity 24/7, particularly since the Tea Party nuts entered Congress.
erpowers
(9,350 posts)He might be thinking about running for President. Governors are said to have executive experience, which many in the media look for when someone is running for President.
Beacool
(30,244 posts)there's several other senators that could qualify, but he's pretty high up on the list. Let him slither back to LA. I just hope that for their sakes the voters of LA don't elect him governor.
LiberalFighter
(50,506 posts)There is no primary election. Everyone gets to be on the ballot the first go around. If a candidate doesn't receive a majority the first go around then there is a runoff between the top two.