Beryl A. Billiot, No Party-Kentwood; and MV "Vinny" Mendoza, D-Ponchatoula; are both running again for the Senate seat. Leading The Progressive Fight Online Since 2000downwithtyranny@gmail.com. Cross said, given the Republican edge the state, and Kennedys strength relative to his opponents, he would not be surprised if the incumbent captured 60-66 percent of the vote. Kennedy is expected to win the most votes, but he needs to win 50 percent of the vote to avoid a run off election. Leading The Progressive Fight Online Since 2000, Blue America - Building A Progressive Future -. And not some elegantly subtle vape pen either, but a big fat blunt, which Chambers smokes as his voice-over describes the toll of the war on drugs. In the ad. "If [Chambers] does start raising money and there is some space for him in this race, then we can say it was a success beyond an attention grabbing, viral moment," Belk said. Watch: It's almost 3 minutes long, rich in policy and short on sensationalism. But Holden Hoggatt, a felony drug prosecutor in Lafayette, had no such reservations in blaming Higgins, who is known for incendiary and entertaining Facebook and social media video posts. Which may not be surprising for a man who came of age in the 1950s, when cannabis was still considered an evil weed consumed only by criminals and jazz musicians. Incumbent Republican U.S. senator John Kennedy was first elected in 2016. Public Service Commission Chair Lambert Boissiere III, D-New Orleans, qualified to run again to regulate utilities for the district that covers metro New Orleans, up the Mississippi River into north Baton Rouge. Click Here to report it. The scene cuts to footage of a mushroom cloud and massive explosion. John Kennedy begins 2022 with huge money advantage as he seeks re-election to U.S. Senate U.S. Sen. John Kennedy is running for re-election this year with a campaign war chest that dwarfs. As president, he will decriminalize cannabis use and automatically expunge prior convictions. Chambers faces tall odds simply because no Black candidate has won a statewide race in Louisiana since 1872, said Michael Martin, a history professor at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. Belk hopes Chambers doesn't squander this moment of attention, and uses it to spread his broader campaign message. Chambers, another Democratic challenger, raised $1.6 million, spent $1.6 million, and had $54,500 cash on hand, as of October 19. Kate Magsamen, who has worked for Mary and Mitch Landrieu, among others, is overseeing fundraising. Kennedy, first elected in 2016, served on the Senate Committees on Appropriations, Banking, Budget, Judiciary, and Small Business through the campaign. Our infrastructure is crumbling and communities are flooding, but Sen. Kennedy voted against billions of dollars to improve our roads and protect Louisiana communities from natural disasters, said Mixon. March 02, 2023 03:15 PM. A Gallup poll last decade found more Americans thought John F. Kennedy was a good president (74 percent) . (AP) With midterm elections just weeks away, Louisiana's likely front-runners in this year's U.S. Senate race Republican Sen. John Kennedy and former Navy fighter pilot Luke Mixon, a moderate Democrat released TV ads Tuesday seeking to get more supporters to the polls Nov. 8. A primary election is . Republican Brian Belzer, a Prairieville mechanic, wants to represent the common man in his bid to unseat Graves, who took office in January 2015. Luke Mixon, is a military veteran who flew fighter planes. Louisiana 's lone U.S. Senate race features Republican incumbent John Kennedy, who is seeking a second term. Gary Chambers during his run for the 2nd congressional district in New Orleans, La. Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. John N. Kennedy, of Madisonville, spent 20 minutes recounting legislation he has supported since taking office six years ago and blaming President Joe Biden for. This week some other candidates told FOX 8 they too would not vote to cut the programs. Publishing a shocking campaign video a move used since at least the 1960s can get a candidate some serious name recognition, while they talk about major issues, said Adolphus Belk, a professor of political science at Winthrop University in South Carolina. During my time in the military, I was blessed to work with some of the bravest and most talented Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines. The U.S. House is meeting Wednesday and Thursday. ( KTVE/KARD) Luke Mixon is a Louisiana Democrat running for the United States Senate seat currently held by Republican Senator John Kennedy. If something changes and we can make this work, Ill circle back.. Kennedy is one of two Democratic challengers facing off against Biden in 2024. As you can see, he knows how to make a dollar work. ", Stay in the conversation on politics: Sign up for the OnPolitics newsletter, Kennedy said during his campaign announcement that "corporate feudalism" in the country commodifies children,harmspeople with chemicals and prescriptiondrugs and weakensthe middle class. The election is set for Nov. 8with officialqualifying July 20-22. He now works as a commercial airline pilot. Chambers is pointing to Georgias election of Raphael Warnock, a Black minister, to the Senate in 2020, to prove the doubters wrong. Kennedy, a staunch Trump ally, was endorsed by the former president. Blue America - Building A Progressive Future -Donate Here: Gary Chambers, Jr. Is Running For U.S. Senate Against John Kennedy In Louisiana. See that video up top? Some have suggested the Governor may consider a run against incumbent U.S. Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Republican, helped craft the infrastructure deal. hide caption. So hats off to Gary Chambers of Louisiana, who did something in a new campaign ad in his bid for U.S. Senate that I dont think any candidate has done before: Smoke marijuana. All three yet to qualify, however, picked up opponents. Last June, Louisiana Gov. Hes not really interested in solving the problem. Incumbent Republican Sen. John Kennedy is running against candidates from both parties in Louisianas open primary system. So, I was going to give him some but he decided to leave. "Most of the people police are arresting aren't dealers, but rather people with small mounts of pot just like me.". John Neely Kennedy has launched his re-election campaign as U.S. We can make a change in Louisiana because there are more of us who are willing to help our neighbors and lift our communities, Gary Chambers Jr. said in a Facebook post this week just after announcing his candidacy. Naval Academy and TOPGUN, who served as . [3] Candidates [ edit] We rank number 48 in education, 46th in health care, 47 in opportunity, 50 in crime, John Kennedy gets on TV and talks about crackheads and crime rather than offering solutions to the people of Louisiana, said Chambers. An activist and community organizer, he has never held public office, though he has run unsuccessfully for a couple of lower offices. Paul Waldman noted that "Every underdog candidate for office looks for a way to make a splash with an unusual move that gets everyone repeating your name, if only for a moment. But the cultural and political status of marijuana have changed rapidly, with two-thirds of the public now. Chambers is an entrepreneur and social justice advocate. Mixon models himself after Gov. Ive seen it abroad in our foreign policy and here in Louisiana. John Neely Kennedy ( Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. Senate from Louisiana. John Neely Kennedy has launched his re-election campaign as U.S. Pew Research reports a majority of U.S. adults support legalizing marijuana for both medical and recreational use. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Some People Who Know Him Say It's An Act. Mixon and Chambers also slammed Kennedy for not supporting the bipartisan $1T infrastructure package which is now law. Is it a stunt? U.S. Rep. Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge, hasnt announced his plans. (Gary Chambers Senate campaign) "I think this logic that a Black candidate can't win in Louisiana is just appalling," Chambers. Mixon Announces Campaign (Full Announcement in Italics). Every single day, Louisianans across the state work hard to lift their families up to make ends meet and to build a better future for their children, and every day they are met with roadblock after roadblock, especially this past year, Chambers said in a press release. Chambers, a Democrat, narrowly missed a runoff in last year's race for the 2nd Congressional District. Thats the difficult terrain that confronts Mixon. More: Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy draws first Democratic opponent, Luke Mixon, for 2022 race. Kennedy is in the pole position after waltzing to reelection with nearly . U.S. Sen. John N. Kennedy, R-Madisonville, qualified to run for another si-year term on Wednesday, July 20, 2022. "Which shows not that we are so brilliant, but that so many people care about this issue and that we should do something about it.". Facing what experts say is an unwinnable race, Gary Chambers Jr. took an attention-getting approach Tuesday in the first ad of his campaign to. S en. US Senator John Kennedy, Republican of Louisiana, arrives for the Senate impeachment trial of US President Donald Trump at the US Capitol in Washington, DC on 22 January 2020 (SAUL LOEB/AFP. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the anti-vaccine activist and environmental lawyer, will launch his bid for the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination on Wednesday in Boston. John Bel Edwards signed into law a bill that reduces penalties for small amounts of the drug. Kennedy is next up for reelection in 2028 and serves until Jan 3, 2029. Kennedy is expected to win the most votes, but he needs to win 50 percent of the vote to avoid a run off election. All rights reserved. in the upcoming midterm election. Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics. If I had told you in 2000 that in 2022 youd see a Senate candidate smoking pot in one of his ads, you probably wouldnt have believed me. In every state, this problem is worse for Black people. Three Democrats will challenge Sen. John Kennedy on Nov. 8 ballot. Senator from Louisiana, John Kennedy, who was first elected to that . But in the context of handicapping next year's U.S. Senate race in Louisiana, it . The percentage of registered Democrats in Louisiana has plummeted from 59% in 2002 to 40% today. Republican Dan Lux is challenging Congressman Troy Carter, a Democrat. He picked up an opponent, Gregory Manning, a pastor from New Orleans running as a Democrat. Its the resources question right now, said Stephen Handwerk, a Democratic strategist who served as executive director of the state party for nearly a decade until 2020. Politicians are always a lagging indicator of change; they seldom embrace habits and ideas unless theyre sure that doing so wont lose them support. Kennedy has been in office since 2017, and at this time, he's campaigning against 12 other candidates in hopes of maintaining his position as U.S. Senator John Kennedy, a Republican, is re-elected to another term in office. However, a summary page of House Republicans policy agenda called The Commitment to America says that plan would Save and strengthen Social Security and Medicare but does not mention cuts. Gary's a fighter for Justice. No Democrat has won statewide office in Louisiana since 2008 other than Edwards, who was elected in 2015 and was barely re-elected four years later. All rights reserved. [1] [2] Kennedy won White voters (79% to 9%), while Chambers and Mixon had a split majority of African Americans (48% to 24% to 16%). If no candidate receives 50 percent of the vote, the top two finishers will square off in a runoff election December 10. All rights reserved. Fox covered him, as did USA Today and so did Rupert Murdoch's NY Post. The press of candidates filing of paperwork and paying of fees didn't let up throughout the day. I hope you do, even if it's just $5 or $10. Questions about Social Security and Medicare come up each election cycle. Gary Chambers, a Louisiana Democrat vying to oust Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) Democrats Win 51 Seats Democrats will gain a. U.S. Sen. John Kennedy is running for re-election this year with a campaign war chest that dwarfs those of his Democratic opponents. That ratio has flipped. Theres good television but thats not good governance, Hoggatt said. His current term ends on January 3, 2029. Were not there yet, as Gary Chambers has reminded us. 2023 www.theadvertiser.com. Rolling Stone, HuffPo, two big stories for Yahoo, his one and this one let's see: Boing Boing, People and Newsweek. Kennedy, a Republican, is running for reelection. Hes also gained the backing of the Louisiana Democratic Party, whose Chair explained further. Johnson won that election by a landslide. Gary Chambers in his ad "37 Seconds." He is raising his two children, Samantha and Charlie, alongside his loving wife Renee. Please include the headline. Mixon currently resides in Baton Rouge, LA where he works as a commercial airline pilot and is a union member in the Air Line Pilots Association. Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, Luke Mixon, a Baton Rouge commercial airline pilot, signed up to run in the Nov. 8 election on Wednesday, July 20, 2022. In 2008, Mixon graduated from the prestigious Strike Fighter Weapons School, better known as TOPGUN, and in 2012 he was recognized as the F/A-18 Attack Aviator of the Year. He isnt running as a joke; even if the odds are against him, hes trying to be a serious candidate. (Besides, who wouldn't love seeing Gary interacting with two ancient sticks in the mud like Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer?). In the primary, Carter finished first with 36%, followed by Peterson with 23% with Chambers finishingjust out of the money with 21%. Mixon made the announcement Tuesday, criticizing Kennedy for what he calls voting against. Sen. Kennedy seeks re-election; Democratic Party-endorsed candidates hope to force a runoff, Kennedy did not consent to an interview with FOX 8 on his re-election bid, Skull fragment found in Lake Pontchartrain identified as prehistoric indigenous remains, Boy, 5, shot Sunday night in Avondale home, Two men shot -- one fatally -- Sunday in Thibodaux, authorities say, Family identifies 18-year-old slain in Bay St. Louis mass shooting. The. Luke Mixon, a Baton Rouge pilot, announced Tuesday, October 5, 2021 that he will challenge the reelection of U.S. Sen. John N. Kennedy in the 2022 election. We could not be happier to see a decorated veteran step up and answer the call to serve his country once again by fighting back against failed Sen. John Kennedy, she said in a statement. Kennedy has an unmatched ability to reach out to Louisianans if he wants to and say this is who I am, and this is what Im running for.. When she reaches "nine," a booming voice overhead counts down from "10." How many people are going to watch that? Chambers nearly overcame state Sen. Karen Carter Peterson of New Orleans, who won a spot in the runoff but then lost to Troy Carter. His video was not done for shock appeal, Chambers said. NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Louisiana voters will decide whether U.S. He assumed office on January 3, 2017. Racial disparities remain nearly the same even in states with legalized marijuana use. I would say overall that Louisiana is a safe Republican state for Kennedy, said Miles Coleman, a New Orleans native and LSU grad who is associate editor of Sabatos Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia. He captured the attention of the media, which had been entirely ignoring his campaign before that. Senator John Kennedy, a Republican, is re-elected to another term in office. It functions similarly to their position on marriage equality: While most havent actually changed their beliefs, they know theyre on the wrong side of public opinion, so its something they prefer not to talk about. They hope to force Kennedy into a runoff. But Mixon, a commercial airline pilot who is married with two children, will try to duplicate the formulaGov. Gary Chambers, photographed in New Orleans in February 2021, is running for the U.S. Senate seat held by John Kennedy. Hes interested in identifying the problem, and using it for his own political benefit.. John Bel Edwards, who is Louisiana's only statewide elected Democrat, has said he doesn't plan to run against Kennedy. U.S. Navy veteran Luke Mixon has announced his intention to take Kennedys seat in the 2022 election. Congressman Clay Higgins, R-Lafayette, is expected to qualify by proxy but hadnt done so by close of business Wednesday. As in other Southern states, the Democratic Party in Louisiana has declined because it has hemorrhaged White voters, said John Couvillon, a Baton Rouge-based pollster and demographer. Copyright 2022 Gray DC. (Photo by Max Becherer, NOLA.com, The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate). Kennedy, who has proven to be popular in Louisiana and on Capitol Hill, raised an astounding $36 million in his reelection bid - 10 times as much as his Democratic challengers combined. Gary Chambers is a Democrat running for Senate in Louisiana. The four announced candidates for the U.S. Senate race signed up Wednesday to put their name at the top of the Nov. 8 ballot. I wanted to attend the Naval . Prior to his election to the Senate, Kennedy served as state treasurer for five terms, serving in theposition from 2000 to 2017. Luke Mixon, a Democrat who is a political nobody, is running against John Kennedy for the Senate next year. Its all noise. "My mission over the next 18 months of this campaign and throughout my presidency will be to end the corrupt merger of state and corporate power that is threateningto impose a new kind of corporate feudalism in our country," he said. Gary Chambers, Jr. Is Running For U.S. Senate Against John Kennedy In Louisiana "37 Seconds" - Legalize Marijuana | Gary Chambers Ad #1 The chances of Gary Chambers winning next November are slim. Several articles have been written about it. And hes trying to unseat Sen. John Kennedy, a Republican incumbent running in a state Donald Trump won by almost 20 points in 2020. The 3rd Congressional District covers parishes in Southwest Louisiana. Louisiana deserves responsible leaders who represent the needs of their constituents.. Of the 34 Democrats in the state House, only nine are White. The longtime community activist from Baton Rouge is running to replace U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, the Republican incumbent, as the junior senator from Louisiana. But hours after the release of the pot video, Gary got a whole glowing column by ace writer Paul Waldman, A pot-smoking candidate reminds us how far we have to go on cannabis and not one, but two straight news stories, this one and then this one. Congress approves $28.6 billion in disaster aid for Louisiana, other states, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Bill Rouselle, a veteran ad man in New Orleans, is assisting Arsement. The line of candidates and supporters snaked through the courtyard in front of the State Archives in Baton Rouge before the doors opened. His first campaign video, "37 Seconds," features him smoking a blunt and discussing marijuana arrests and policy. On this date in both 2020, as well as 2021, "Fanatical Republican Extremist of the Day" first profiled the sitting U.S. Chambersmade his mark on the political landscape last year when he showed surprising grassroots support in his race against political heavyweights Troy Carter and Karen Carter Petersonin the 2nd Congressional District race. Increasingly the Senate results line up with how a state votes at the presidential level, said Jessica Taylor, who handicaps Senate races for the Cook Political Report in Washington. His first campaign video, "37 Seconds," features him smoking a blunt and. hide caption. And, he will support the legalization of cannabis for medical purposes, leave decisions regarding legalization for recreational use up to the states, and reschedule cannabis as a schedule II drug so researchers can study its positive and negative impacts. Let's make 'em squeal.". That is the only option for us is to force him into a runoff. "So when I get to Washington, I'll know how to cut pork," she said. "We knew it would create conversation, but we had no idea that it would be to this degree," Chambers said. He was saving the sensationalistic slam for the followup and it worked, not just in Louisiana, but all over the country. According to OpenSecrets, Kennedy raised $37.5 million, spent $25.2 million, and had $13.6 million cash on hand, as of October 19. His first campaign video, "37 Seconds," features him smoking a blunt and discussing marijuana arrests and policy. The mother ofSyrita Steib, of New Orleans, filed the papers on behalf of her daughter to run for the U.S. Senate. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. But Kennedy did not consent to an interview for this story on the senate race. He joins the field withself-help author Marianne Williamson, who previously launched a campaignas a Democrat to face off against Biden who officially announced he is seeking a second term in the White House. Exclusive: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. launches unlikely presidential bid backed by 14% of Biden voters. Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate.com. He went on to complete his service to the nation as the Commanding Officer of the Navys F/A-18 squadron based in New Orleans, LA. "Some things are seriously wrong in America today and Im going to talk about them Inflation, in particular, is gutting the American people and the people in Louisiana like a fish. Democrats Gary Chambers and Syrita Steib both spoke about how Kennedy's yet to participate in any debate or forum in his re-election bid. He spent nearly 20 years flying the F-18 fighter, in support of American missions in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. Mixon criticized Kennedy's record, pointing to his recent opposition to the bipartisan infrastructure bill among other votes. Lane Payne, a pastor from Abbeville, and Jake Shaheen, a math teacher from Lake Charles who wore a t-shirt saying Very Stable, signed up saying southwest Louisiana constituents are disappointed in government response to recovery from three hurricanes that hit them directly. So for me, I know that hes vulnerable, I know that we have a shot and we have a chance to take him out, we just need for everyone to show up on November 8th., Senator Kennedy is attacking me by name now and he knows hes vulnerable, said Mixon. Louisiana's 2022 U.S. Senate race is taking shape as Democrat Gary Chambers Jr., a Baton Rouge community activist who made a splash in last year's 2nd Congressional District election before. Chambers strikes a serious tone in his first campaign ad. "You do whats right. And Mixon said, We must fight back against extremism and like Ive said before I would vote to codify Roe to ensure that we protect womens health care. Chambers argues that Democrats have to forge a new path, with a forceful message that will energize working-class people who havent seen a reason to vote. He represents our state poorly, he represents our nation poorly. Louisiana leans Republican . The Louisiana Democratic Party has endorsed three candidates, in hopes of blocking the incumbents re-election. His campaign manager is Ben Riggs, who until recently served as the state partys press secretary. Kennedy has caught national attention with his pro law enforcement pitch to Louisiana voters, where in an advertisement, the incumbent says If you hate cops just because theyre cops, the next time you get in trouble, call a crackhead.. Louisiana braces for flood insurance sticker shock. HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - Three Republicans have announced their candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by longtime Senator Richard Shelby. As they begin their campaigns to unseat the formidable Republican incumbent, John N. Kennedy, Mixon and Chambers neatly capture the two major strains of the Louisiana Democratic Party.