Allan Katz and Danae Columbus
Like other remaining Democratic candidates around the country, U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu knows she must increase her support among black and white females to emerge victorious on Dec. 6. That’s why Norma Jane Sabiston, Kristin Palmer, Angele Wilson and others are again reaching out to 5,000 key women supporters statewide to build Mary’s Army, highly committed grassroots warriors who will knock doors and work phones non-stop for the next three weeks. Armed with pink t-shirts and lists of likely voters, these women clearly understand the campaign’s success rests largely on their ability to persuade voters one person at a time. Not only does the Landrieu camp need to turn out a larger number of African-American voters, they also need to convince white voters to switch from Cassidy.
Nationally prominent pollster Ron Faucheux, president of Clarus Research Group, reported yesterday that during the last four years Democrats have “somewhat improved their position among women voters.” Democrats carried women by 4 points this year, versus losing women by 1 point in the 2010 midterm elections. Exit polling shows that while white women voted Republican by a 14-point margin, African-American women voted Democrat by 83 points and Latina women voted Democrat by 34 points.
Republicans won married women by 10 points, but lost unmarried women by 22 points this year. Nationally only 51% of voters are women this year, down from 53% in 2012.
Even in Landrieu’s first campaign for the Louisiana Legislature, women played an active role, said Verna Landrieu. More than 60 of Landrieu’s women’s supporters in New Orleans turned out Tuesday to hear Campaign Manager Ryan Berni explain why their work is essential. Already women such as Tania Tetlow, Betsie Gambel, Julie Schwam Harris, Madlyn Schenk, and Deborah Langhoff have stepped up in leadership roles. They are joined by the likes of Nancy Marsiglia, Conny Willems, Dottie Reese, Susan Hess, Blanche Comiskey, Iam Tucker, Felicia Kahn, Sarah Usdin, Toni Hackett, and many more.
While Landrieu’s earlier campaign focused heavily on social issues, this campaign will probably drive home pocketbook issues. There are 600,000 women head of households in Louisiana. Gov. Bobby Jindal has a poor record of investing in education, a key issue for women voters of all ages. Women in Louisiana only earn 67 percent of what men earn. Whether female readers are doctors, lawyers, waitresses or sales reps, that 33 percent can make a big difference. What male reader would want his wife or daughter to earn 33 percent less?
As most readers recall, even though Republicans and third party groups spent $20 million to defeat her, Landrieu ran first in the primary and even met some of her voter targets. Landrieu’s exit polls show she has an “uphill battle” but can still win if she does an excellent job of turning out her vote. Even Republican media personality Jeff Crouere wrote this week that Cassidy and the Republicans should not discount Landrieu.
Kristin Palmer and staff are traveling across Louisiana to give their key women supporters in Monroe, Shreveport, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Alexandria the same rallying cry: “While you might not agree with Mary Landrieu every time, we can always count on her when we need her the most!”
Early voting begins a week from Saturday, Nov. 22, and continues until Nov. 29, excluding Thanksgiving and including Black Friday. That’s a tough week to get anyone to the polls. Let’s see how well Mary’s Army performs.
WHAT NEW CANDIDATES ARE ON THE HORIZON FOR DEMOCRATS & REPUBLICANS NATIONALLY?
We have to agree with a comment Landrieu campaign manager Ryan Berni made this week that the December runoff election is the first race in this next cycle, which includes both our statewide and legislative elections next year and the presidential election the year after. Berni said this December was a good time for Democrats and women “to take a stand.”
Nationwide, the Democrats are not presenting many new, young faces for voters to consider, according to the New York Times. Congressional Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Steny Hoyer were in elementary school the same years as Allan. VP Joe Biden was right behind them. Senator Elizabeth Warren, Governor Andrew Cuomo and Governor Martin O’Malley aren’t much younger. Democrats can point to Kirsten Gillibrand, Joaquin and Julian Castro, Mark Warner, Rahm Emanuel and Chris Van Hollen, who campaigned in Louisiana for Cedric Richmond in 2010 along with Hoyer and others.
The majority of governors are now Republicans. The R rising stars include Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Paul Ryan, as well as those the New York Times calls “presidential wannabes” – Chris Christie, Bobby Jindal and Scott Walker. We also can’t leave out Jeb Bush who is certainly not a wannabe. With Mitch McConnell weighing in at 72 years old and John Boehner about to turn 65, it won’t be long before our own Steve Scalise climbs right to the top.
Allan Katz spent 25 years as a political reporter and columnist at The Times-Picayune, and is now editor of the Kenner Star and host of several television programs, including the Louisiana Newsmaker on Cox Cable. Danae Columbus is executive producer of Louisiana Newsmaker, and has had a 30-year career in public relations, including stints at City Hall and the Dock Board. They both currently work for the Orleans Parish School Board. Among the recent candidates who have been represented by their public relations firm are City council members Stacy Head and Jared Brossett, Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne, former Sheriff Charles Foti and former Councilwoman Cynthia Hedge-Morrell.
Why don’t Mary have Obama come down and campaign for her, I’am sure he would love to, he could tell all the voters just how great Obamacare is
Landrieu’s supporters rally with the half-hearted cry of, ““While you might not agree with Mary Landrieu every time, we can always count on her when we need her the most!” But when we really needed her most, she voted in favor of Obamacare, almost universally despised in Louisiana, except for the welfare-seeking crowd and the Liberal elites.