Flap prompts Sawyer to pull ads

• By SARAH CHACKO
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Mar 1, 2008 - Page: 1A

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Radio advertisements and direct mail pieces stating former U.S. Rep. Richard Baker’s support for Republican candidate Paul Sawyer in the upcoming election for Baker’s seat were pulled Friday.

“It was a complete misunderstanding between Richard Baker and our campaign,” said Sawyer, Baker’s former chief of staff. “He’s my friend, he’s my counselor, he’s my adviser. I don’t want there to be any more confusion about it.”

Baker said he approved a photo of him and Sawyer together but did not realize that he was also approving the candidate’s message, which was included in an e-mail with the photo.

Baker said he intended to support Sawyer when he first indicated that he would run. But Sawyer pulled out and Baker started encouraging others to run, Baker said.

By the time Sawyer re-entered the race, Baker said he had made a commitment not to endorse anyone.

“I don’t want to direct voters of the 6th District on how they should vote for their next congressman,” Baker said.

The radio advertisement had a woman speaking, quoting Baker on his support for Congress: “Paul is the kind of leader we need in Washington, D.C. I’ve always been proud of the way Paul has served the people of the 6th Congressional District. Paul Sawyer has my support for Congress.”

Sawyer, of Baton Rouge, initially said the ads only say that Baker supports him for Congress, not that Baker endorses him.

Baker said Thursday that he vouches for Sawyer’s work while working in his former office.

But, he said, “I think it (the advertisement) is clearly to be understood by voters to be a tacit endorsement of the Sawyer campaign.

“We’re dancing on the head of the pin here,” Baker said.

Albert Samuels, an associate professor of political science at Southern University, said the difference between supporting and endorsing a candidate is slight.

Endorsement can be argued to entail putting forth effort in campaigning and fundraising on the candidate’s behalf, he said.