Kennedy pushes back gov’s race announcement
Senator John Kennedy is delaying his announcement on whether or not he’ll run for governor until Monday, citing travel issues. The 2019 race is now less than a year away, and only one Republican, Eddie Rispone, has declared against Governor Edwards. ULM Poli Sci Professor Joshua Stockley says the Senator’s repeated delays are beginning to look like non-interest.
“It’s boarding on peculiar that Senator Kennedy continues to delay. I think his indecision could be construed as indecisiveness.”
Stockley says if Kennedy does not declare, he’s hurt the GOP cause in the race by boxing other candidates out of fundraising for the last few months.
But, Stockley says despite the delays, the former Louisiana Treasurer has quite a few good reasons to jump in the race despite his growing national profile two years into his six-year Senate term.
“He is a statewide elected official with high popularity, he’s a statewide elected Republican in a Republican state, and he has a substantial amount of money.”
He’d also get to keep that Senate gig through 2022 even if he lost.
Kennedy’s opponents have already hinted that a major line of attack will be highlighting the brief nature of his stay in DC, but Stockley says the average voter likely wouldn’t care if the Senator jumped ship so early in his term.
“Most voters are not that sophisticated to hold someone responsible, or not responsible, for their current elected position.”
Previously Kennedy said an announcement would be made by December 1st.