Cassidy cites optimism

• By SARAH CHACKO
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Nov 6, 2008 - Page: 7A - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Congressman-elect Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, said Wednesday his conservative values mirror that of constituents in the 6th U.S. Congressional District.

But the atmosphere on Capitol Hill these days is not as favorable to Republicans, who lack a majority in the U.S. House and Senate, and lost the presidential election on Tuesday.

“He’s not going to get the best assignments. He’s going to be in the minority party,” Southern University Professor William Arp said of Cassidy.

“Little of what he wants is actually going to materialize in terms of aiding this district or the state of Louisiana.”

Cassidy, a state senator, took the 6th District seat from incumbent U.S. Rep. Don Cazayoux, D-New Roads. Cazayoux only held the seat for six months, having won it in a special spring election.

Cassidy received 48 percent of the 312,075 votes cast. Cazayoux received 40 percent, and state Rep. Michael Jackson, No Party-Baton Rouge, received nearly 12 percent.

Cassidy said he is optimistic about the power of the Republican Party.

“I’m guessing there’s going to be turnover in leadership and in ideas in the Republican Party,” Cassidy said. “There’s been a tremendous loss of Republican members. My party needs to come up with new ideas that address the electorate’s concerns more than we’ve been doing.”

Cassidy said he believes Democratic President-elect Barack Obama has an aggressive agenda for change that may not be the sort of change that people want.

“If history is a guide … there is going to be some sort of overreach,” Cassidy said.

Republicans will then be able to come back, he said.

“But you’ve got to have a resurgence fueled by alterative ideas that still meet the needs of people but do it in ways they find more acceptable,” Cassidy said.

Arp said the political party that controls the U.S. House and Senate has the influence to determine how the resources of the country will be directed. Cassidy may want to introduce a bill, but all it takes is the majority party saying they are not interested, Arp said.