With the partial shutdown of the federal government now entering its third week, U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy said in an interview that he’s following the lead of President Donald Trump.
“The issue is do we secure our southern border or not,” Cassidy told LaPolitics. “The president, and I agree with him, feels as if that is what is necessary to keep Americans safer and more secure.”
Louisiana’s senior senator said any resolution to end the shutdown would have to emerge from the lower chamber of Congress, which Democrats seized control of this term.
“It is really going to depend upon the politics in the House of Representatives,” he said. “If (U.S. House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi decides that she can’t because of her internal House politics, it is going to be longer.”
While Cassidy labeled Democrats as unwilling partners during the shutdown negotiations around the shutdown, he added that Trump’s approach could change minds.
“Democrats tend to believe in bigger government, so I think the president’s calculus is that they are going to want the government open and they are going to be willing to give a little bit,” he said.
The senator said he has seen the effects of the shutdown firsthand, particularly in the area of flood relief.
Decision time for candidates
Qualifying begins this week for seven seats in the state House of Representatives, a notable turnover as legislators begin the final year of the term.
The vacancies occurred when sitting representatives were elected to different jobs on last fall’s ballot or, in one case, appointed to another government position.
The primary elections are scheduled for Feb. 23 in:
— House District 12 in the Ruston area, which was vacated by former Rep. Rob Shadoin
— House District 47 in the Cameron-Vermilion region, which was vacated by Sen. Bob Hensgens
— House District 18 in Pointe Coupee Parish, which was vacated by Parish President Major Thibaut
— House District 26 in the Alexandria area, which was vacated by Mayor Jeff Hall
— House District 27 in Rapides Parish, which was vacated by Judge Chris Hazel
— House District 62 in the St. Francisville area, which was vacated by Parish President Kenny Havard
— House District 17 in the Monroe area, which was vacated by Judge Marcus Hunter
The next regular session the Legislature convenes April 8, and runoffs, as needed, are slated for March 30. That means any candidates forced into a second round of balloting will have to hit the ground running if elected.
Your Political History: Like socks on a rooster
Among the zaps and zings dinging around the Bayou State’s caverns of political lore are countless phrases and quotes that have outlived the political souls who first uttered them.
Late Gov. Earl K. Long was one of those souls, and he had a knack for mercilessly mocking his political opponents with funny — and often biting — nicknames. Former Gov. Sam Houston Jones, for instance, was stuck with “sweet-smelling Sam,” while Congressman Harold McSween earned the unfortunate title of “Catfish Mouth McSween.”
Long reserved his best barbs, however, for his chief political rival, New Orleans Mayor deLesseps “Chep” Morrison. Their shared animosity was deeply personal, and rather public.
According to historian Jack McGuire, when the two faced off in the 1956 Democratic primary for governor, Long told friends that he wanted to beat Morrison “more than eating any blueberry or huckleberry pie my mama ever made.”
Out on the campaign trail, stumping before largely rural crowds, the governor from Winnfield opened up repeatedly on the urbane mayor of the Crescent City, calling him “Dellasoups” and making jokes about about his expensive tailored suits.
“Dellasoups has $50 neckties and $400 suits,” Long said in one speech. “Put a $400 suit on Uncle Earl and it will look like socks on a rooster.”
They Said It
"I prefer to think she was over caffeinated and made a mistake.”
—U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, on a colleague’s profane remarks about President Donald Trump, via a press release
“I’ll be detailing my daily anxiety about the Bollards at the Capitol here on Twitter.”
—Gov. John Bel Edwards’ Deputy Chief of Staff Christina Stephens, on her new job, via Twitter
For more Louisiana political news, visit www.LaPolitics.com or follow Jeremy Alford on Twitter @LaPoliticsNow.