Home / News /

Grits

November 20, 2007 — Jindal gives nod to GOP speaker candidate. Gov.-elect Bobby Jindal has endorsed Rep. Jim Tucker in the House speaker’s race, clearing the way for the Republican from Terrytown to preside over a House with a one-vote Democratic majority.

Tucker’s rival for the job, Democratic Rep. Don Cazayoux, bowed to the inevitable and dropped out of the speaker’s race, but said he wished Jindal had stayed out of the race.

As he did in the Senate president’s race, Jindal claimed that he waited to endorse until he was assured Tucker had a majority of votes. Jindal had announced his intention to stay out of the legislative leadership races, but ended up going along with the Louisiana tradition which gives the governor the deciding word in such contests.

South Carolina: Graham May Get Primary Foe. “Buddy” Witherspoon, the state GOP’s Republican National Committeeman, is expected to announce his candidacy for the US Senate any day now. Witherspoon will be challenging US Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC), who is under fire from some conservatives for his support of a compromise immigration bill. Graham, who had $4.2 million on hand as of Sept. 30, has been endorsed by US Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), Gov. Mark Sanford (R-SC) and by state Attorney General Henry McMaster, a former state GOP chairman.

Virginia: Gilmore Announces. Former Gov. James Gilmore announced on Nov. 19 that he will run for the US Senate next year. The race for the open seat of retiring US Sen. John Warner (R) will feature a heated contest between Gilmore and former Gov. Mark Warner (D). Warner is the early favorite.

Mississippi: Cochran a Go. US Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS), 69, announced last week that he will seek re-election in 2008. Had he not run, the race could have been competitive, but Cochran is a sure-bet for re-election.

Dixie Representatives Split on Gay Rights. When the US House recently passed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which extends job-related civil rights to gays, 15 Southern Democrats deserted their national party and voted against the measure: AL: Bud Cramer & Artur Davis; AR: Marion Berry & Mike Ross; GA: John Barrow & Jim Marshall; LA: Charlie Melancon; MS: Gene Taylor; NC: Mike McIntyre & Heath Shuler; TN: Lincoln Davis, Bart Gordon & John Tanner; and TX: Chet Edwards & Nick Lampson. And five Southern GOPers left their party and supported ENDA: FL: Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Mario Diaz-Balart & Ileana Ros-Lehtinen; LA: Jim McCrery; and VA: Tom Davis.

Southern Voters Disapprove of Bush. An Elon University poll, taken between Nov. 4 and Nov. 14, found that 57% of respondents in a five-state region (FL, GA, NC, SC & VA) disapprove of the way President Bush is handling his job. In addition, 53% “lack confidence” in Congress. When asked whether they trusted Bush or the Democrats more, 44% trusted the Democrats, 32% trusted Bush and 15% said neither. In the presidential election, however, 36% said they plan to vote Democratic next year and 35% said Republican. Among Democrats, Hillary Clinton had 45%, Barack Obama 17% and John Edwards 11%. Among Republicans, Rudy Giuliani led with 25%, Fred Thompson had 16% and Mitt Romney 12%.