a) Imbecile.
b) Serial adulterer with hookers.
c) Diaper-wearing sex pervert.
d) Lying hypocrite.

Most deep South states could stand up to two of those in a Republican senator or a governor. Only one can stand all five.

I mean, even factoring in the Rasmussen "our secret likely voter model works great beginning two weeks before the election and turns in distorted propaganda results the rest of the time" fudge factor.

Okay, that's cool, but I never EVER wanna hear another word about us decadent Northeastern lib elites and our moral relativism. When my gov got caught with a hooker he bailed within hours of the shit hitting the fan -- not that many of us give a crap about where he puts his pee pee as long as its consensual but because he'd run on integrity and it made him a damn hypocrite, and because Dems hold theirs to a higher standard of personal conduct. At this point, if John Edwards started spouting Birfer BS and polling like he had a pulse, they'd probably run him for president.

What about the porn star? Isn't there a porn star running?

When it comes to the personal lives of Family Values politicians, it doesn't matter how you live your life - what matters is how you say others should live theirs.

Perhaps people in Lousiana like the idea of a grow up man wearing diapers for fun.

Not to be the devils advocate here, but this is the same state that led the congressional ticket with William "Keep the Money Chilly" Jeffers. Either they are a very forgiving bunch down there or they are easily fed whatever line of BS is put on the plate. Ray "Get the Head Shinier" Nagan was still around for awhile to wasnt he? Point being, their compass is wrong on most sides of any issue down there...unless your willing to buy the compass needle!

Not exactly a shocker that Vitter would poll 10 points up - he's already a Senator (Melancon's a House Rep, and 3rd District's not terribly populous).

Also - Louisianians tend to assume that everyone involved in government must be either corrupt (and therefore powerful) or too weak to stick their hand in the till (and therefore ineffectual). Also - it's generally worse to be a boring no-name than a known pervert, so long as your perversion has flair (and is of the straight male variety).

It's cynical, but there's a fair amount of precedent to support it, which makes it hard to overcome.