Kennedy, Landrieu stump around

• By WILL SENTELL
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Nov 3, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:00 a.m.

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Democrat Mary Landrieu and Republican John Kennedy are embroiled in a final flurry of vote hunting today with a six-year ride in the U.S. Senate at  stake.

Landrieu, who is seeking her third term, planned to attend a rally in Shreveport today at 10 a.m, a 1 p.m. gathering in Alexandria and a 4 p.m. campaign get-together in Lafayette.

Kennedy, who has been state treasurer since 2000, planned get-out-the-vote rallies today at T-Coon’s restaurant in Lafayette at 11:50 a.m. and at the Caboose Café and Catering in Metairie at 5:45 p.m.

On Election Day, Landrieu plans to shake hands at 6 a.m. at the Avondale Shipyard near New Orleans and gather with supporters at Betsy’s Pancake House in New Orleans.

Landrieu, 52, contends she is a can-do senator, played a key role in delivering federal hurricane aid after hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 and is a Senate centrist who works well with both parties.

Kennedy, 56, says he represents “conservative change,” opposes tax increases and can help repair a Washington political scene that is “in the ditch.”

Kennedy also has trumpeted his endorsement by Gov. Bobby Jindal, a fellow Republican. Landrieu notes she has won endorsement from a wide array of GOP officials, including some in Kennedy’s home parish of St. Tammany.

Before this year’s contest, state and national political analysts called Landrieu one of the most vulnerable members of the U.S. Senate.

But a wide range of polls,  including ones from Southeastern Louisiana University of Hammond and WWL-TV of New Orleans, and those of other television stations statewide, showed Landrieu with leads with double-digit percentages.

“It appears that Landrieu is going to win this thing by a landslide,” said William Arp, a professor of political science at Southern University.

Pearson Cross, chairman of the political science department of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, said last week he thinks Landrieu holds an 8 to 12 percentage point edge  over Kennedy.

The Democrat also was expected to outspend her challenger by roughly two-to-one — $11 million to $5.5 million.

Landrieu said she feels confident, but not overconfident.