Supporters made push for Jackson

• By SARAH CHACKO
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Nov 6, 2008 - Page: 8A - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Relying on local community leaders throughout his campaign for the U.S. Congress, state Rep. Michael Jackson’s last efforts to get out the vote Tuesday were hopeful.

Radio personalities broadcasting live from supporter and former U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields’ law office on Government Street tried to energize the electorate, reminding them of the historic presidential election.

“It doesn’t make sense we go out and do something great in the presidential election and we can’t even take care of our own back yard,” Jackson, no party-Baton Rouge, said in an early morning live radio spot.

Defeated by U.S. Rep. Don Cazayoux, D-New Roads, in a spring primary for the 6th U.S. Congressional District seat, Jackson switched from Democrat to No Party to challenge Cazayoux in Tuesday’s general election. Neither won.

State Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, won the election with 48 percent of the 312,075 votes cast. Cazayoux, D-New Roads, received 40 percent, and Jackson, nearly 12 percent.

In the weeks leading up to the election, Jackson said he was aggravated by the Democrats use of President-elect Barack Obama to advance Cazayoux’s campaign in the black community.

Fields said he had shared his thoughts with Jackson on the dynamics of the race, particularly that Obama, the Democratic nominee, would come to the aid of a challenged Democratic incumbent and his influence would be significant.

“In this case, the Obama candidacy was enough to get them to the polls, but not to turn them for any particular candidate,” Southern University political science professor William Arp said.

“And clearly a vote for Jackson turned out to be one less vote for Don Cazayoux,” Arp said.

Fields said he had both local and national Democratic leaders calling on him to dissuade Jackson.

“Mike’s grown enough to know what he’s doing. He made a grown decision,” Fields said. “In politics, timing has to do with a lot of things.”

Fields said he believed Jackson had a chance to win.

“Mike did it for one reason. Mike became an Independent to win,” he said.