Cassidy to try for Congress

• By SARAH CHACKO
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Jun 18, 2008 - Page: 1B - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Republican state Sen. Bill Cassidy of Baton Rouge announced Tuesday he will be on the ballot this fall in the second election this year for the 6th District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Other Republican candidates who competed for the seat in the spring say they also are seriously considering running again.

New Roads Democrat Don Cazayoux, a former state representative, won the U.S. House seat in May for the end of the office’s two-year term, vacated early by Republican Richard Baker.

“This is a time for service,” Cassidy said, noting high gas prices, budget deficits, foreign wars and health-care costs.

Woody Jenkins, the Republican nominee in the general election against Cazayoux in May, said Cassidy is a friend of his, but today’s announcement will not affect his decision to run again in the fall.

Jenkins, of Baton Rouge, said he still carries a lot of support in his campaign, though he has not officially announced his candidacy.

“Right now it looks good. We’re going to just let a little more time pass,” said Jenkins, himself a former state representative.

“We have a lot of advantages because of name recognition and organization. Anybody who wants to run has to factor that in.”

Republican Laurinda Calongne, a consultant from Baton Rouge who was up against Jenkins in the primary election in the spring, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

In a statement released by her campaign manager, Calongne said it would take people with real business experience to solve the country’s economic problems.

She said her campaign will make an announcement next week.

A spokesman for the state Republican Party said that the group is taking its usual stance of waiting for voters to select their nominee in the primary, which will be in September.

But Republican political consultant Roy Fletcher endorsed Cassidy as the candidate for Republicans, citing Cassidy’s support in south Baton Rouge as well as his “formidable” characteristics as a doctor and state senator.