The Daily Advertiser - Law Enforcement Backs Landrieu

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The Daily Advertiser - Law Enforcement Backs Landrieu

By Mike Hasten

Democratic U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu has received the backing of law enforcement officers and district attorneys across the state in her bid for re-election against her Republican challenger, state Treasurer John Kennedy.

Several sheriffs, including Larry Cox of Madison Parish, Willie Martin of St. Martin and Mark Shumate of East Carroll, chiefs of police, including Perry Gallow of Opelousas, Attorney General Buddy Caldwell and District Attorney Jay Lemoine of Grant Parish expressed support for Landrieu Wednesday.

The Louisiana Sheriff's Association voted to endorse Landrieu in August but renewed that commitment Wednesday. Michael Ranatza, deputy director of the LSA, said Landrieu has fought for and obtained millions of dollars for law enforcement in Louisiana and "we'll be with you for the next six years."

Lemoine said that although the District Attorneys Association bylaws do not allow endorsement of candidates, individual district attorneys support her because "Mary Landrieu has been for law enforcement many years at the state and local level."

Landrieu said she was pleased with the support and called it "one of the most important endorsements I have received in this campaign."

She said the earmarks she secured for law enforcement have provided needed equipment and programs and when she returns to Washington, she will push legislation she introduced to set up a fund to help first responders who are disabled on the job.

Landrieu was asked about a poll by Southeastern Louisiana University that showed her up by 19 points over Kennedy and his campaign spokesman Lenny Alcivar's reaction that whoever conducted the poll must have been "smoking crack." Landrieu's campaign immediately issued a release criticizing the comment.

"When I first read that, I thought 'Oh my goodness,' " Landrieu said. "That was an insult to a reputable university and an insult to Louisiana. It's typical of his (Kennedy's) campaign, which has been off base since the beginning."

Alcivar responded Wednesday evening, calling the Landrieu campaign reaction to his comment "silly political games from operatives trying to get you to write about a poll even Mary admits is crazy."

He later added, "Their press release uses my response to their phony poll as pretext to attack Kennedy. That's all this is."

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