Senator Bill Cassidy (R) - Louisiana
Republican Senator Bill Cassidy tells Politico.com he’s considering a run for Louisiana Governor in 2023. U-L Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says if Cassidy ran, he would not be the front-runner, because a recent JMC Analytics poll had his approval rating at 38%.
“Nearly 50% view him unfavorably, he has a negative rating with Republicans, Democrats, and Independents which makes a run for governor a little problematic,” said Cross.
Cassidy says it’s not his idea, but he’s been approached to run. He says people like that he helped pass an infrastructure bill and brought COVID relief to Louisiana. Cross says Cassidy is known as a moderate and that’s helped Governor John Bel Edwards win two terms in office.
“The question is can he be the second leading vote-getter and at least get into a runoff, if he did get into a runoff he would be a very, very strong candidate,” said Cross.
Last year, the East Baton Rouge Republican Party and the state GOP censured Cassidy for his vote to convict former President Donald Trump on an impeachment charge. Cross says Cassidy could win a few Republicans back if he voted against President Biden’s Supreme Court nominee.
“But of course, if he does that then he’s going to be irritating the 33% of Louisianans who are African-American and then the additional percentage who are Democrat,” said Cross.
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