Vitter Facing Possible Circus Primary: Christian-Right Activist And Porn Star
Louisiana politics is known for being a bit weird compared to the rest of the country, and it's starting to look like this cycle will be no exception -- with scandal-plagued GOP Sen. David Vitter facing a potential primary challenge from a major Christian-Right activist on the one side, and a porn star on the other.
You might remember this funny moment from the scandal, when Vitter drove into a parking lot sign in his rush to get away from reporters:
Tony Perkins, the head of the Family Research Council, told the Politico that he's considering a primary challenge against Vitter, whose conservative reputation has been damaged by his implication in the D.C. Madam prostitution scandal: "I will say this: I have people in Louisiana encouraging me to consider it."
Meanwhile, porn star Stormy Daniels is publicly contemplating a bid in the Republican primary herself, in order to cast light on Vitter's moral hypocrisy. So Vitter could be facing clowns to the left of him, and jokers to the right. But which is which?
To answer that, let's ask the question: Just who is Tony Perkins?
Perkins previously ran for Senate in 2002 as one of three Republican challenges to Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu, coming in fourth place with 10% of the vote in Louisiana's multi-party primary system at the time. He is also a former state Representative who helped pass the state's "covenant marriage" law, allowing couples to opt for a special form of marriage that makes divorce much more difficult. So obviously, this would be a pretty stark contrast to an incumbent Senator who has been bedeviled by a prostitution scandal.
In 1996, Perkins was the campaign manager for GOP Senate candidate Woody Jenkins, whose campaign was later fined $3,000 for covering up a purchase of David Duke's phone list. Perkins signed the phone-bank contract with marketing firm Impact Mail, but said he wasn't aware of the Duke connection and that Jenkins had handled the transaction. When he found out about it, they decided to route the payment through the campaign's media firm because "politically, we didn't want to be connected with Duke."
Louisiana is a conservative, Deep South state, so the winner of the Republican primary would be favored to win, though the Dems could potentially field a strong candidate. But could it be that the porn star is the real values candidate here?
Josh
Elana
Matt
Eric
Here is the straight scope on stormy daniels:
http://draftstormy.com/
Stormy Daniels for the US Senate! Maybe vitter and perkins will split the right wing wackos and stormy can storm to victory in the republican primary. She can switch parties when she gets to the senate.
February 25, 2009 11:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
I thought she was going to run as a Dem or independent...this is the first I've heard about her running in the Republican primary.
February 25, 2009 12:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
She goes back and forth. I have heard before about her running in the republican primary. She is weighing her political options. Smart politician. She will make a good addition to the senate.
February 25, 2009 12:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Can't be worse than Burris.
February 25, 2009 12:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
lol
February 25, 2009 2:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
"She goes back and forth."
You should choose your words more carefully when you're talking about a porn star. ;-)
February 25, 2009 12:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's part of the fun. She is riding vitter all the way to the senate. Or, how about, she is going to take vitter from behind. Or, she swings both ways . . . on an issue. Or, there are a thousand of them.
February 25, 2009 4:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Rim-shot!
February 25, 2009 4:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
But, as I understand it, there is no such thing as a Republican (or Democratic) primary in Louisiana (except for President). Everyone, from all parties, is on the same primary ballot and if no one gets 50%+1 in the primary, there is a run-off in the general election.
February 25, 2009 1:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
I thought they got rid of the jungle primary...
February 25, 2009 1:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hunter
You're right -- Gov Blanco signed a bill in 2006 that took effect beginning with the 2008 elections. It went back to a traditional party primary for federal offices (Senate and Congress), so there will be separate Democratic and Republican primaries with a November general election.
(There was some confusion about this in 2008 because a hurricane forced the state to move back the primaries to November in some districts and therefore the general election for several seats was held in December, which is when the run-offs would have been held under the old system.)
Additionally, there is no longer a 50% run-off requirement, the general election can be won with a plurality under 50% (and, indeed, the Republicans won 3 Louisiana House seats in 2008 with under 50% - Cao with 49.5% in the 2nd, Fleming in the 4th and Cassidy in the 6th each with 48.1%.
The old "jungle primary" remains in effect for state offices in Louisiana- so when Jindal won 54% in the multi-party primary in 2007, he was elected Governor with-out a run-off.
February 25, 2009 3:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hope she doesn't run as an independent, but instead in the Republican primary -- because a candidate no longer requires a majority to be elected in LA, a multiple field might make it easier for Vitter (or Perkins) to win in November.
(Of course I am assuming that Stormy would draw more likely Democratic than Republican voters in the general... and that she is not electable herself despite how much fun that would be.)
February 25, 2009 3:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
I've never been so excited about an off year election primary in my life.
February 25, 2009 12:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
I like that out of Vitter and Daniels, only one of the two has been implicated in an illegal sex act...
February 25, 2009 12:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Depends on the state. I think that she is covered in louisiana though. I think that's one of her platforms to not criminalize consensual sex acts in the privacy of one's home. She's taking it nationwide. That has to stick in the craw of the wingers.
February 25, 2009 12:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Actually, even more humorous than Vitter backing into that sign in his haste to beat a speedy retreat from that impromptu press op, was his pronouncement, given the circumstances, that he intended to "stay hard at work." Not painting a pretty picture, especially when coupled with his alleged affinity for diapers...
February 25, 2009 12:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
In a honda no less. Too funny.
February 25, 2009 12:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
why do you id Vitter as a Democrat on your front page???
February 25, 2009 12:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, oh, fox entertainment has taken over tpm. They must have hacked into the website. That is hilarious.
February 25, 2009 12:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wow she is brave. Has she considered that she could get dead making trouble for this guy ?
Deborah Jeane Palfrey was found hanging from a rope in the garden shed. She was ruled a suicide. Vitter is still a senator.
Aside : In suicide statistics, how often does a woman hang herself ?
The senator does not order the murder. Some wise guy does it without being told. Then the senator is reminded that he owes someone a favor, some day.
Tinfoil hat, yes. But it has happened before and will happen again.
February 25, 2009 12:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
better keep her out of small planes too,
February 26, 2009 4:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
exactly
February 26, 2009 11:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
The porn star, Stormy Daniels, is the most honest, reliable and trustworthy primary candidate, amongst the three of them.
The Christian fundie is by far the most dishonest, deceptive and deceitful primary candidate.
February 25, 2009 12:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hope Stormy runs and takes it seriously. with her industry's backing and the backing of the businessmen who keep that industry going with their business, she could certainly raise a serious campaign warchest.
If there's any state in the union that would actually elect someone like her I think it is Louisiana. After all, she's the perfect Republican. She is opposed to government being involved in private enterprise and doesn't want the individual's personal choice's limited by government interference or regulation. Her entire career demonstrates these time honored Republican principles! Go Stormy!
February 25, 2009 12:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Amazing how the most commonplace phrases take on a whole new meaning when they are used to describe a porn star...
February 25, 2009 2:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm pulling for Stormy. Figuratively, anyway.
February 25, 2009 1:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Can't she just imply that she's had her opponents (especially Vitter) as clients?
"Don't let them do to you what they did to me."
February 25, 2009 1:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hear somebody out there has photos of Stormy Daniels posing fully clothed!
February 25, 2009 1:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Vitter, Christian Right and Porn Star- sounds like a story you heard before....lol
February 25, 2009 1:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Rumor has it Larry Flint is going to run her campaign right?
February 25, 2009 1:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
How would Senate Republicans cope with having an HONEST whore in their ranks?
February 25, 2009 2:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
I will tell you something. If I were the Dem's and Greens in LA I would strongly organize for Stormy....she would put a pin the the hypocritical GOP both Vitters and Perkins......
and if she won she would be an interesting caucus mate for the old boys club in the Senate.
February 25, 2009 2:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
On a serious note (difficult as it is to put aside the porn candidate jokes), if Perkins really runs he would stand a good chance of defeating Vitter in a Republican primary.
This makes it even more essential that a strong Democrat be recruited for the race -- a divisive Republican primary could seriously harm the ultimate Republican nominee. The idea of Tony Perkins in the Senate is even more frightening than Vitter -- Vitter is a very right wing conservative, but Perkins is an obsessed cultural warrior with a strong sense for using the media effectively. He would be dangerous.
Charlie Melancon, Don Cayazoux, Jim Bernhard, Paul Connick, Mitch Landrieu, or some other candidate -- I don't know who the strongest Democratic nominee would be, but hopefully one will emerge soon.
February 25, 2009 3:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Great clip, and I was unable to not be charmed. I thought SD was really really funny, and man she throws a sharp elbow, doesn't she? "I guess the biggest difference is I’m open with my sexual activity"; "i might be a porn star, but at least i haven’t done anything illegal. And I guess the big question is not just ‘why is David Vitter in office’ but ‘why is he not in jail’? I think he’s setting a horrible example…if they think thart I’m a better choice, what does that say?"
I'd vote for her, and i've never even seen her in action (I'll wait til after work for that...)
February 25, 2009 3:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
I never did either and I saw that clip and I was like wow! I never even heard of her before. Very bright and charming. She's probably smarter than burris and vitter and perkins combined. I actually think that she would make a great senator.
February 25, 2009 4:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
That is good news, cat litter Vitter has to go. He needs to take his scum bag thoughts somewhere else--like the back of an outhouse?
February 25, 2009 4:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
"But could it be that the porn star is the real values candidate here?" THE ANSWER IS YES.
February 25, 2009 4:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Let me tell you, I'd rather watch the debates between these three than watch the Super Bowl.
February 25, 2009 5:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Vitter and perkins wouldn't have a chance. It wouldn't be fair to them. She'd wipe their a**es all over the stage.
February 25, 2009 7:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Isn't that part of Vitter's fetish?
As for Perkins... He whines so much I wouldn't be surprised...
February 25, 2009 9:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Vitter has acquired every video Stormy has made purportedly for "debate preparation."
February 25, 2009 7:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
I saw Stormy Daniels not too long ago on a cable talk show, and she was honest, bright, articulate and surprisingly well-informed. Further, by the end of the show she sounded like she had convinced both the initially-skeptical host and a large portion of the studio audience that she was indeed a serious person whose advocacy for women's equality and the protection of children from adult predators deserved public consideration.
While Ms. Daniels may be a porn star, she is also a strong, independent woman of substance and common sense. Sen. David Vitter, OTOH, is clearly a walking political cliche and cartoon. If it was a serious two-way race, there's no question who'd be the better candidate, and who'd get my vote.
February 25, 2009 8:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
The thing that is funny, beyond the jokes, the more that I hear her and see her and understand where she is coming from, the more I like her and think that she would be awesome for the senate. She is super intelligent and on the ball. She should beat vitter. It would be a hoot on the one hand, but on the other hand it would actually be good for the country. Finally, we would purge the puritan bs from 300 years ago.
February 25, 2009 9:16 PM | Reply | Permalink