Qualifying for the fall federal midterm elections begins today, at the Secretary of state’s Office in Baton Rouge. Candidates for the state’s six congressional seats, plus one U.S. Senate race, are expected to qualify over the next three days. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says five of six congressional races should be shoe-ins for the incumbents. But in District 3, Clay Higgins has an announced Republican challenger. Pinsonat says the race could become interesting.
“So he always has had opposition and some of it very stiff opposition, but Clay Higgins always seems to get re-elected,” said Pinsonat.
Pinsonat says he expects all incumbents will have a challenger of some kind, but doubts any will have the money or support to win this fall.
In the U.S. Senate race, John Kennedy seeks another term, but is challenged by Democrats Gary Chambers, Luke Mixon and Syrita Steib. Pinsonat feels they are “spinning their wheels.”
“I’m sure that Democrats are running against Kennedy think they have a shot, but John Kennedy’s got an enormous amount of money, he’s very popular, he’s running in a red state,” said Pinsonat.
Pinsonat says qualifying over the next few days may yield a surprise or two, but he gives the edge to the incumbents in the fall elections. He says the midterms will be a hotly contested affair nationally, but expects Louisiana’s election results will have little effect on any major changes in Congress.
“Nothing in Louisiana, unless John Kennedy loses, I don’t see that, will affect the heated races across the country, control of the Senate, control of the House,” said Pinsonat.
Qualifying begins today and ends Friday afternoon. The election is November 8th, with the runoff set for December 10.
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