He must be one of the good ones, right, Globe?
"Despite scandals, GOP’s Vitter poised for La. win
NEW ORLEANS — Republican Senator David Vitter survived a 2007 prostitution scandal and has shrugged off fresh questions about his judgment in allowing an aide to remain on his staff for more than two years after a violent attack on a woman.
Vitter has been dogged by questions about his personal life. Yet in a GOP year and in a GOP-leaning state, the incumbent is on track to win tomorrow’s primary against two little-known Republicans.
With little competition from his own party, he has focused on Democratic US Representative Charlie Melancon, his likely opponent in November.
The two are engaged in a war of attack ads, with Melancon running one that touches on Vitter’s 2007 admission of an unspecified “serious sin’’ after his phone number appeared in the records of a Washington prostitution ring.
It also refers to the scandal that broke earlier this summer when ABC News reported that Vitter had kept an aide who dealt with women’s issues on staff even after he was arrested for attacking a woman in his apartment. The woman, identified by police as his former girlfriend, told police the aide used a knife in the attack. Her chin and hand were cut, but the injuries were not serious.
The aide pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges in the case but kept his job until more than two years later, after ABC’s report. Vitter’s office said the senator accepted the aide’s resignation after learning of additional legal problems, including a drunken driving case.
The campaign manager for Vitter’s best-known primary opponent, retired state Supreme Court Justice Chet Traylor, says Republicans encouraged Traylor to get into the race because they feared another scandal was lurking.
But so far, Vitter appears strong. A poll of 600 registered voters taken for a group of local television stations by Clarus Research Group found 74 percent of Republicans said they would vote for him, compared with 5 percent for Traylor and 3 percent for little-known Republican Nick Accardo. The same poll also gave Vitter a 12 percent edge over Melancon in November.
Taking advantage of President Obama’s low popularity in the state, Vitter has repeatedly linked Melancon to Democratic policies, including the health care overhaul, which Melancon voted against.
That is EVERYWHERE NOW!
Melancon also faces a primary against little-known Democrats Neeson Chauvin and Cary Deaton. He is expected to win.
Who cares?
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"Incumbents win primaries in W. Virginia, Louisiana
In Louisiana, scandal-tainted US Senator David Vitter, a Republican, easily beat two little-known challengers and will meet Democratic Representative Charlie Melancon, who won his party’s primary, in November.
Vitter survived a 2007 prostitution scandal after he admitted an unspecified “serious sin’’ after his phone number appeared in the records of a Washington prostitution ring. He has also shrugged off questions about his judgment in allowing an aide to remain on his staff for more than two years after a violent attack on a woman police identified as his former girlfriend.
With little competition from his own party, he and Melancon have already engaged in attacks.
“There is a clear choice in this election, and as we educate voters about my positive plans for putting Louisiana first and contrast it with David Vitter’s hostility toward women, veterans, and Louisiana families, I know we’ll win,’’ Melancon said.
Vitter said in a statement that Melancon was too liberal.
“Louisiana voters will get to choose between the current Obama policies of endless bailouts, failed stimulus, massive debt, and government-dominated health care, represented by Charlie Melancon, or the common-sense conservative alternatives I’ve been advocating,’’ he said....
Do you LIKE YOUR FALSE CHOICES, AmeriKa!?
