Updates from LA 02, TX 23 and FL 13.
LA 02: THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS:
The runoff between ethically-tarred Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA 02) and state Rep. Karen Carter (D) will determine what's more on the mind of New Orleans voters: scandal or values.
In his latest ad, Jefferson is turning to social issues to motivate the churchgoing African-American community. He accuses Carter of supporting same-sex marriage, late-term abortions and cloning. He's running as a cultural conservative in an overwhelmingly Dem district.
Full script: ANNCR: Karen Carter says there's a big difference between her and Congressman Jefferson. Especially when it comes to family values. Karen Carter voted for same-sex marriage. (on screen: picture of two women holding hands) Congressman Jefferson voted against it. Karen Carter voted for late-term abortions. Congressman Jefferson voted to stop late-term abortions altogether. Congressman Jefferson voted to make it illegal to clone a human being. But Karen Carter was the only member of the Louisiana House to vote against making human cloning a crime. Big difference? You bet there is (Hotline sources)
Meanwhile, Carter is hammering Jefferson on ethics. Her ads feature schoolkids spelling out "hypocrite" and "corruption" as an announcer narrates Jefferson's misdeeds.
Full script: CHILD: "C-O-R..." ANNCR: "The FBI said Bill Jefferson extorted money and stock from an African-American small businessman." CHILD: "...R-U-P..." ANNCR: "Jefferson's wife got $7,500 a month, his five daughters got 31 million shares of stock. " CHILD: "...T-I..." ANNCR: "Even his brother-in-law and son-in-law cashed in on the deal." CHILD: "...O-N. Corruption." ANNCR: "And that's just one word to describe Bill Jefferson." ANOTHER CHILD: "Malfeasance. M-A-L..." (Hotline sources).
Carter handily outraised Jefferson over the last month, and has spent over $600K total. Yet both candidates' ads lack the production values of first-tier campaigns.
Carter will need to win over white voters in Jefferson Parish, where she ran a distant fifth in the primary. She alienated voters there after criticizing a town's police force as inhumane in HBO's Katrina documentary.
But she has reason to be optimistic. Ethically-challenged incumbents fared poorly in the midterms. Will Jefferson's (ironic) appeal to values boost his chances? [JOSH KRAUSHAAR]
TX 23: WHO WANTS TO RUNOFF BEFORE THE HOLIDAY?
TX 23 voters began casting their ballots 12/2 despite Gov. Rick Perry's request for a starting date of 12/4. Yet although ex-Rep. Ciro Rodriguez's camp and the League of United Latin American Citizens' successfully petitioned Bexar Co. to permit voting 12/2, the civil rights union remains dissatisfied. It claims the scheduled 12/12 runoff could hurt the Latino vote. Harvey Kronberg's Quorum Report has the latest:
The League of Latin American Citizens claimed Perry "tried to suprress the Latino vote by stetting the date for next month's runoff... on a Catholic holy day" (Qurum Report/San Antonio Express-News).
In Other News:
Rep. Henry Bonilla is "rightly criticized for putting the interests of his party over the needs of his constituents. That was well-evidenced when he sought to allow GOP House members, such as former Majority Leader Tom DeLay, to maintain their leadership posts even if indicted on felony charges." Despite criticism against Bonilla, his membership to the House Appropriations Cmte "is important for Texas and Bexar" Co.
As for Rodriguez, whether or not his seniority helps him, it's hard to ignore the fact that "he lost his re-election bid two years ago -- exceedingly rare for an incumbent" (Quorum Report/San Antonio Express-News)
San Antonio's Professional Firefighters Assa. and its 1,400 members endorsed Rodriguez 12/2. Other unions supporting Rodriquez include the San Antonio Police Officers Assa., Deputy Sheriff's Assa. of Bexar Co. and the San Antonio AFL-CIO Central Labor Council. Labor Council Pres. Alicia M. Carza "said the endorsements give Rodriguez a clean sweep of local organizations and unions" (Quorum Report/San Antonio Express-News).
Bonilla holds the cash advantage. With ten times as much cash-on-hand than Rodriguez, Bonilla "seems to be in a good position to win re-election (Quorum Report/San Antonio Express-News).
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) stumped for Bonilla 12/1. At a rally, Hutchison "said it's important for as many voters as possible to know that he has 'one more round to go'" (Quorum Report/Dallas Morning News).
FL 13: READY FOR A RECOUNT!
Dissatisfied with Buchanan's lead, at least 500 FL 13 residents rallied for a revote of the race between Rep. Vern Buchanan (R) and Christine Jennings (D) 12/3.
Their reasons stretch from "ballot design and machine error" to statistical probabilities. In attendance were representatives from People for the American Way, Common Cause, and Voter Way, local Dems, as well as grass-roots groups from Pinellas Co. and Miami (Sayfie's Review/Herald Tribune).
Jennings "has filed suite asking for a revote or to have the election overturned and for the court to declare her the winner" (Sayfie's Review/Herald Tribune).
