There are three well-known Republicans challenging Senator Bill Cassidy in next year’s U.S. Senate race, but will there be a formidable Democratic candidate? LApolitics.com publisher Jeremy Alford says Democrats would like to see former Governor John Bel Edwards run, but that’s unlikely.
“Everyone who’s close to the former governor that I speak to suggest that they wouldn’t bet the farm on that happening. Moreover, they wouldn’t bet anything on that happening,” Alford said.
Alford says, as it stands now, there’s not an obvious candidate for the Democrats to run against the winner of the Republican Primary. He says former Lt. Governor and New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu has been mentioned as a possible candidate.
“The last few times I spoke with him, he had no interest in statewide politics again because he’s an astute politician. He can read the tea leaves, and he knows how difficult that would be,” Alford said.
Alford says it’s unlikely Democratic U.S. Representatives Troy Carter or Cleo Fields would give up a House seat for a chance at representing Louisiana in the U.S. Senate.
He says the Louisiana Democratic Party is in rebuilding mode.
“It’s going to be incredibly difficult, I think, for them to field a marketable candidate to run against whoever emerges from that Republican primary,” Alford noted.
