The Midterm Elections of 2014 have come and gone in the state of Louisiana, although we aren’t quite finished with the races. On a national level, the Louisiana Senate Race could have a significant impact. As it turns out, despite the hotly contested Senate race of incumbent Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Republican challenger Bill Cassidy, Tuesday evening’s results left the Senate in the control of the Republican Party. Therefore, regardless of whether Sen. Landrieu wins the Dec.6 runoff election to Cassidy, the GOP will still have the majority in Washington.
A Close Race
At the conclusion of Election Day, with all 4,018 Louisiana precincts reporting, Landrieu had 618,840 votes (42.08%), Cassidy had 602,439 votes (40.96%) and Tea Party candidatRob Maness had 202,413 votes (13.76%). This was the most expensive race in Louisiana history, with over $40 million spent. The Freedom Partners Action Fund, a political action committee backed by Charles and David Koch, announced that they were going to be spending more money on anti-Landrieu advertisements as soon as they heard about the run-off.
The run-off (tie-breaker) will be held on Saturday, December 6th. Voter turnout is expected to be low given the time of year and the day of the week, especially because the SEC football championship game will be on. However, LSU probably won’t be playing in that one, and that’s no excuse anyway – GO VOTE!
The Republicans Gain Control of the Senate
With the Republicans in control of the Senate and Barack Obama still in the White House, what does this mean for the future of the United States? For one thing, even if Sen. Landrieu retains her seat, she will no longer be Chair of the Senate Committe on Energy of January 2015, as that will be handed over to Sen. Lisa Murkowksi (R-AK). This is a big blow for Louisiana, because Sen. Landrieu has helped secure substantial federal money for Louisiana by virtue of her position, especially money from Big Oil for clean-ups after oil spills.
Louisiana Senate Run-Off Race Set for December 6th
I can’t stress enough how important it is to go out and vote on Saturday, December 6th in Louisiana. With Maness out of the race, it is down to Landrieu and Cassidy. The voters who supported Maness are likely to back Cassidy. On the other hand, the Landrieu campaign will ramp up its efforts expose Cassidy for who he is and what his platforms are, including his support for bills that would raise the Social Security retirement age and make changes to Medicare.
Marijuana Off the Ballot
While Louisiana residents had many candidates, constitutional amendments and issues to consider, no marijuana laws were on the ballot. Sadly, Louisiana is still not ready to follow the lead of several other states and the District of Columbia scale back our draconian marijuana laws. This should not be a surprise in a place that has the highest incarceration rate in the world.
For more about marijuana laws in Louisiana, please go here.
Aging Judges
Judge Frank A. Marullo’s campaign to retain his seat on the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court raised a number of issues, which the local media followed closely:
1. Was he too old to run?
a. The Louisiana Supreme Court ruled that he was not too old to run because the constitution in effect at the time he took the bench permitted him to continue to serve.
2. Did he bribe a competitor to drop out of the race by promising her an appointment?
a. A recorded statement allegedly between Judge Marullo and a candidate for hist seat suggests that he may have. This matter is under investigation and we will have to stay tuned.
3. Will he be allowed to continue his 40+ year term as judge?
a. One of the constitutional amendments would have allowed judges to serve after age 70, but voters rejected the measure. The amendment would have removed the age limit. The Louisiana Supreme Court will now have to decide whether Judge Marullo can continue to sit on the bench after his birthday on December 31, 2014.
I personally like Judge Marullo. He has built a very good reputation over the past 40 years, and is one of the more defense-friendly judges on the bench. He’s also sharp as a tack, unlike many elderly judges who were forced into retirement!
Louisiana Residents Voted to Reduce Property Restrictions
New Orleans, along with the rest of Louisiana, is experiencing explosive real estate growth. While some experts suggest the bubble in market prices may be about to pop, there are still many opportunities for property owners.
- Voters agreed to give disabled/unemployable veterans an increased homestead tax exemption. Veterans deserve this for their service.
- Disabled homeowners will still have to certify their income is below a certain amount in order to avoid property tax increases.
- Voters approved a law which will shorten the amount of time property owners will have to redeem a lien for abandoned property. I voted against this amendment, because I believe the former three-year term was very reasonable.
- I voted against both millage increases for Orleans Parish for two reasons. First, Orleans Parish already has the highest millage rates in the state. Second, the increase is designed to create nearly twice as much funding for the fire and police departments, but I doubt that we wold have seen a significant change in crime statistics, and I’ve never heard anyone complain about ineffective fire and rescue services in Orleans Parish.
- Finally, an amendment which would have permitted the sale of government-owned property in the 9th Ward failed. I voted for this amendment for a few reasons. First, it will aid development as part of the Holy Cross Project in the coming years. Second, the program is designed to help people already living in the area, first responders, and teachers purchase lots. These are the types of people we want in underdeveloped areas. They will help redefine neighborhoods and remain committed to those areas in the coming years.
Political Bias at an All-Time High
I recently read about a study that found political bias, or “partyism,” now has a greater impact on the way Americans view each other than racism. Whether or not that is true, and whether or not I believe it, it is apparent that the divide between the Republican and Democratic parties continues to grow. Is this something that can continue for another generation or longer, or will it take the rise of a credible third political party to get Washington to work again?
