Chet Traylor

LA Paper Endorses Traylor, Will Not 'Repeat Allegations' Of More Vitter Scandals

Brian Beutler | July 21, 2010, 2:06PM

Senate candidate Chet Traylor (R-LA) and Senator David Vitter (R-LA)

A rural newspaper in Louisiana has endorsed Chet Traylor -- rival to Sen. David Vitter in the Louisiana Republican primary -- to win the party's nomination. And in so doing they casually raise the possibility that there are more Vitter scandals yet to be exposed.

"It is not our intention to revisit Vitter's mistakes as a means to follow the lead of the out-of-touch media elite in condemning Vitter at every turn," write the editors of the Concordia Sentinel. "We will not engage in a rumor mongering campaign either by repeating allegations that another "scandal" involving Vitter's personal life will surface soon."

How's that for subtlety?

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David Vitter

Louisiana Republicans To Choose Between Two Family Values Conservatives

Brian Beutler | July 20, 2010, 1:06PM

Senate candidate Chet Traylor (R-LA) and Senator David Vitter (R-LA)

If you're a political candidate, sleeping with your estranged stepson's estranged wife, it's helpful if you can fall back on an excuse like "well, at least she's not one of several prostitutes."

And, indeed, that's the fallback position Chet Traylor is left with today, only a month to go before Louisiana Republicans will face the decision of whether Traylor or incumbent Senator David Vitter will be the GOP candidate in November. The Springer-esque details are laid out in a News Star article today and, while they certainly harm Traylor's reputation as a scandal-free alternative to Vitter, they don't involve prostitutes, or knife attacks against women. So, there's that.

The time line is as follows:

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LA-SEN

Cook Report Downgrades Vitter's Louisiana Senate Race To 'Lean Republican'

Eric Kleefeld | July 15, 2010, 2:49PM

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA)

The Cook Report has now changed its rating in the Louisiana Senate race, where Republican Sen. David Vitter is seeking a second term, from "Likely Republican" to the less safe "Lean Republican."

The Cook Report cites three factors that could drag Vitter down a bit: His tough job balancing the needs of Gulf Coast recovery with the needs of the oil and gas industry in the BP spill; his mishandling of a case involving a staffer who resigned in June after ABC News reported that he had assaulted an ex-girlfriend in 2008; and the fact that Vitter has now attracted a primary challenger, former state Supreme Court Justice Chet Traylor. That primary is August 28.

In a less hospitable political climate for Republicans, these three events might combine to render Vitter extremely vulnerable, even in Louisiana. However, Vitter is not without his strengths and he does get to run on friendly terrain. We'll keep a close watch on this to see whether any or all of the recent events have an impact, but for now it seems this race no longer belongs in the Likely Republican column, so it is moving to Lean Republican.

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David Vitter

Jindal Neutral In Louisiana GOP Senate Primary

Brian Beutler | July 14, 2010, 2:39PM

Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-LA) and Senator David Vitter (R-LA)

Looks like Governor Bobby Jindal is staying out of the Louisiana GOP Senate Primary. In a statement, his spokesman Kyle Plotkin says, "Right now, the Governor is focused on fighting the oil spill and working to lift the moratorium. There will be time to discuss endorsements in the coming months."

Emphasis on the word "months," plural. Asked whether that implies Jindal won't make any political endorsements until after the primary, his staff reiterated the same comment. That takes us past the August 28th primary, and into the general election campaign, when Jindal will surely endorse whomever wins the Republican nomination.

In the meantime, it seems, he'll let Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) fight it out with his new, and formidable, primary challenger, former Louisiana Supreme Court Justice Chet Traylor.

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David Vitter

Conservative Women's Groups Mum On Vitter Scandal

Brian Beutler | July 12, 2010, 10:27AM

Senator David Vitter (R-LA)

It seems like everyone has an opinion about David Vitter these days. Dems want him ousted from the Senate; Louisiana Republicans are divided on that question. Reporters just wish he'd take their questions. But there's one demographic that has been studiously silent about Vitter ever since his prostitution scandal gave way to the scandal over his sheltering an aide who violently attacked his girlfriend: conservative women's groups.

Last week, TPM reached out to several conservative women's organizations, both on the national level and in the state of Louisiana, for comment on Vitter's actions. Few of them responded at all.

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David Vitter

Vitter Gets A Serious Last Minute Primary Challenger

Brian Beutler | July 9, 2010, 7:05PM

Senator David Vitter (R-LA)

There are no shortage of conservatives in Louisiana who'd like to retire David Vitter. But late this afternoon, one prominent Republican decided to make a go of it, entering the race at the last possible moment to take on the scandal-plagued senator in the GOP primary this August.

Meet Chet Traylor, a former Louisiana Supreme Court Justice well-connected in Louisiana Republican political and business circles circles, who surprised everyone this afternoon by qualifying at the witching hour to challenge Vitter.

Vitter has plenty of money in the bank and, with just weeks to go, time on his side. But Traylor could catch up quickly.

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