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Former Gov. Edwin Edwards

Edwards earns runoff spot; kiss McAllister goodbye

KEVIN McGILL, Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Eighty-seven-year-old former Gov. Edwin Edwards overcame the stigma of a prison sentence to earn a runoff spot for an open south Louisiana congressional seat Tuesday, while another scandal-scarred politician — freshman Rep. Vance McAllister went down to defeat in his northeast Louisiana district, done in by a video that showed him kissing a woman not his wife.
Edwards' success in south Louisiana's 6th District may be short-lived. He had been widely expected to earn the runoff spot as the only prominent Democrat on a ballot in which all candidates run regardless of party. But, in the Dec. 6 runoff, conservative support was expected to coalesce around Garret Graves, the former state coastal restoration chief.
Still, the four-term governor was undaunted as he addressed supporters Tuesday night with his wife, Trina — five decades his junior and the mother of their toddler son — standing beside him.
"On the 7th day of December I'll address you as the congressman from the 6th District of Louisiana," Edwards said.
Graves finished ahead of a divided Republican field that included state Sen. Dan Claitor, businessman Paul Dietzel and state Rep. Lenar Whitney. All sought to replace incumbent Republican Bill Cassidy, who is running for the Senate seat held by Democrat Mary Landrieu.
In northeast Louisiana's 5th District, Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo, a Democrat, earned a runoff spot against physician Ralph Abraham who edged out other Republicans including Zach Dasher, a relative of the "Duck Dynasty" reality TV family. Like Edwards, Mayo will face an uphill battle in the conservative district.
The results marked the end of a short congressional career for McAllister, a political newcomer who was elected just under a year ago to fill an unexpired term.
The state's other four House races were milder affairs in which incumbents faced no well-known opposition. Republicans Steve Scalise in the 1st District, Charles Boustany in the 3rd and John Fleming in the 4th and Democrat Cedric Richmond in the 2nd all won easily on Tuesday.
Edwards is bidding for a comeback after his release from prison in 2011, the result of a corruption conviction following his fourth term as governor. He will have his work cut out for him in the sprawling gerrymandered 6th District, encompassing part of Baton Rouge plus rural and suburban areas north and south of the city. The district has voted strongly Republican in the last two presidential elections.
Edwards staked out notably centrist views in contrast to his Republican opponents: backing same-sex civil unions (but not gay marriage); supporting a minimum wage increase; favoring the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act even as he voiced complaints about the act overall.
Rounding out the field were Republicans Robert Bell, Craig McCulloch and Trey Thomas; Libertarian Rufus Craig Jr.; Democrats Richard Lieberman and Peter Williams.
In the 5th District, self-made millionaire McAllister was considered something of a dragon slayer last November when he won a race to fill the unexpired term of another Republican.
Louisiana's GOP establishment had backed another candidate, but McAllister ultimately won, casting himself as a conservative Christian GOP member who would reach across the aisle to work with Democrats. An endorsement from members of the "Duck Dynasty" family didn't hurt.
But, months after he took office, security camera video surfaced that showed the married congressman kissing a staffer, a woman married to someone else. McAllister at first said he would finish his term and not seek re-election. Then he changed his mind. Analysts said a runoff spot was a possibility for the incumbent, but not a certainty.

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