Reuters, New Orleans :
Republican Congressman Bill Cassidy handily won a Louisiana U.S. Senate runoff election on Saturday, capping big wins for his party in the Nov. 4 midterms at the expense of one of the chamber’s last remaining southern Democrats.
Cassidy, whose victory swells the ranks of Republicans in the Senate to 54, defeated Mary Landrieu, a three-term incumbent who last month pushed hard for a Senate vote on approving the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada’s oil sands to the U.S. Gulf Coast that came up just short. Cassidy, 57, ran a disciplined campaign focused on linking Landrieu to President Barack Obama, who is deeply unpopular among whites in Louisiana. With all precincts reporting, he defeated Landrieu by just under 12 percentage points, uncertified results showed.
“This victory happened because people in Louisiana voted for a government which serves us but does not tell us what to do,” Cassidy told a jubilant crowd in Baton Rouge.
Cassidy becomes the ninth Republican to capture a previously Democratic seat this year in a runoff held because no candidate secured a majority in the Nov. 4 open primary.
Landrieu, 59, had been fighting to remain one of only two Democratic senators from the southeastern U.S. – a party stronghold a generation ago – after losses last month by Democratic incumbents in Arkansas and North Carolina.
“It has been nothing but a joy to serve this state for over 34 years,” Landrieu said before supporters in New Orleans, referring to a political career that began in the Louisiana state Legislature in 1980.
The top Democrat on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Landrieu campaigned on her clout, a message complicated by her party’s loss of Senate control in last month’s midterms and her failed pipeline efforts.
Days before the runoff she seized on allegations that Cassidy, a medical doctor, falsified some time sheets and failed to file others for a part-time Louisiana State University hospital job. Cassidy has denied the allegations, which the school says it is reviewing.
Landrieu’s difficulties were compounded by the scant financial support she received from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and outside groups ahead of the runoff.
Cassidy had no similar problems. Ads supporting him and critical of Landrieu saturated the airwaves, including one 30-second anti-Landrieu video released by Ending Spending Action Fund in late November featuring nine separate images of Obama.
BBC adds: US Republicans have increased their majority in the Senate after a runoff from the mid-term elections ended in defeat for the Democrats in Louisiana.
Republican Bill Cassidy’s win against Senator Mary Landrieu swells their ranks in the 100-seat chamber to 54.
Republicans have now gained nine Senate seats in the mid-term elections.
There was more bad news for the Democrats when Republicans kept control of two Louisiana seats in runoffs for the House of Representatives.
It means Republicans will increase their current 234-201 advantage in the House by a dozen seats in the next Congress – with one election still to be decided.
Republicans now control both chambers of Congress for the first time since 2006.
Ms Landrieu, 59, was unable to win a fourth term in the face of voter dissatisfaction with President Barack Obama, a Democrat.
She had tried to focus the election on her own performance but Mr Cassidy, 57, portrayed his candidacy as a way for voters to cast another ballot against Mr Obama’s policies.
The Republicans now have the power to complicate – if not block completely – Mr Obama’s agenda in the last two years of his tenure in the White House.
Control of the Senate will also enable the Republicans to impede his ability to name new federal judges, cabinet members and senior government officials.
Republican Congressman Bill Cassidy handily won a Louisiana U.S. Senate runoff election on Saturday, capping big wins for his party in the Nov. 4 midterms at the expense of one of the chamber’s last remaining southern Democrats.
Cassidy, whose victory swells the ranks of Republicans in the Senate to 54, defeated Mary Landrieu, a three-term incumbent who last month pushed hard for a Senate vote on approving the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada’s oil sands to the U.S. Gulf Coast that came up just short. Cassidy, 57, ran a disciplined campaign focused on linking Landrieu to President Barack Obama, who is deeply unpopular among whites in Louisiana. With all precincts reporting, he defeated Landrieu by just under 12 percentage points, uncertified results showed.
“This victory happened because people in Louisiana voted for a government which serves us but does not tell us what to do,” Cassidy told a jubilant crowd in Baton Rouge.
Cassidy becomes the ninth Republican to capture a previously Democratic seat this year in a runoff held because no candidate secured a majority in the Nov. 4 open primary.
Landrieu, 59, had been fighting to remain one of only two Democratic senators from the southeastern U.S. – a party stronghold a generation ago – after losses last month by Democratic incumbents in Arkansas and North Carolina.
“It has been nothing but a joy to serve this state for over 34 years,” Landrieu said before supporters in New Orleans, referring to a political career that began in the Louisiana state Legislature in 1980.
The top Democrat on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Landrieu campaigned on her clout, a message complicated by her party’s loss of Senate control in last month’s midterms and her failed pipeline efforts.
Days before the runoff she seized on allegations that Cassidy, a medical doctor, falsified some time sheets and failed to file others for a part-time Louisiana State University hospital job. Cassidy has denied the allegations, which the school says it is reviewing.
Landrieu’s difficulties were compounded by the scant financial support she received from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and outside groups ahead of the runoff.
Cassidy had no similar problems. Ads supporting him and critical of Landrieu saturated the airwaves, including one 30-second anti-Landrieu video released by Ending Spending Action Fund in late November featuring nine separate images of Obama.
BBC adds: US Republicans have increased their majority in the Senate after a runoff from the mid-term elections ended in defeat for the Democrats in Louisiana.
Republican Bill Cassidy’s win against Senator Mary Landrieu swells their ranks in the 100-seat chamber to 54.
Republicans have now gained nine Senate seats in the mid-term elections.
There was more bad news for the Democrats when Republicans kept control of two Louisiana seats in runoffs for the House of Representatives.
It means Republicans will increase their current 234-201 advantage in the House by a dozen seats in the next Congress – with one election still to be decided.
Republicans now control both chambers of Congress for the first time since 2006.
Ms Landrieu, 59, was unable to win a fourth term in the face of voter dissatisfaction with President Barack Obama, a Democrat.
She had tried to focus the election on her own performance but Mr Cassidy, 57, portrayed his candidacy as a way for voters to cast another ballot against Mr Obama’s policies.
The Republicans now have the power to complicate – if not block completely – Mr Obama’s agenda in the last two years of his tenure in the White House.
Control of the Senate will also enable the Republicans to impede his ability to name new federal judges, cabinet members and senior government officials.
