LOUISIANA
      Nov. 2, 2010 U.S. Senate                                      

Gov.
 Sen.3
 Sen.2
2023
 x

2022
x
2021


2020

x
2019
 x

2018


2017


2016
x
2015
 x

2014

x
2013


2012


2011
 x

2010


2009


2008


2007


2006


2005


2004


2003


2002


2001


2000


1999


1998


1997


1996


1995


1994


1993


1992


1991


1990


1989



+David Vitter (R) i
 		715,415
 56.55%
Charlie Melançon (D)
 		476,572
 		37.67%
Randall Todd Hayes (L)
 		13,957
 		1.10%
Others (9 at <1% each)
 		59,050
 4.67%

1,264,994
Registration: 2,933,532.  Total voters: 1,297,653.
Plurality: 238,843 votes (18.88 percentage points). 

 LA Secretary of State



Notes:  Despite getting caught up in a prostitution scandal, Sen. David Vitter (R) won a second term, defeating U.S. Rep. Charlie Melançon (D) in the Nov. 2 election.  Also on the ballot was Randall Todd Hayes (L), who was active in Ron Paul's 2008 presidential campaign.  Rounding out the field were nine "no party" or "other" candidates who came in at less than 1-percent each.

Vitter, a Rhodes scholar and attorney, served in the Louisiana House starting  in 1992.  He was elected to Congress in the May 29, 1999 special election runoff to fill the 1st CD seat vacated by U.S. Bob Livingston (R), who resigned due to an extramarital affair.  Melançon, a businessman, ran an insurance agency and owned a couple of Baskin-Robbins franchises.  He served in the Louisiana House from 1987-1993.  From 1993 to 2004 he was president and general manager of the American Sugarcane League of the USA, Inc.  Melançon was elected to Congress as a centrist "Blue Dog" Democrat representing the 3rd CD in 2004.
 
Louisiana, known for its nonpartisan blanket primary system,  experimented with partisan federal primaries from 2006-10.  Republican, Democratic and Libertarian party primaries were held on Aug. 28, 2010.  Vitter defeated two challengers, obtaining 87.6% of 97,298 votes tallied; Melançon also defeated two challengers, winning 70.6% of 110,183 votes tallied; and Randall Todd Hayes won a two-person race in the Libertarian primary, garnering 61.6% of 2,483 votes tallied.

 There were two late debates.  Six candidates including Vitter and Melançon debated at WDSU-TV Channel 6 in New Orleans on Oct. 27 (1,2,3,4,5); and Vitter and Melançon debated at WWL-TV Channel 4 in New Orleans on Oct. 28 (>).

Vitter withstood very hard-hitting attack ads focused on the DC Madam revelations that broke in July 2007 (>).  He quickly admitted to "serious sin" and held a press conference with his wife, but there were many calls for him to resign.  The scandal naturally was an issue in the campaign.  For example, a Melançon for Senate ad argued "the real sin is that David Vitter is still a U.S. Senator."  Meanwhile the Vitter campaign focused on tying Melançon to President Obama, which The Gambit observed had the effect of making the race a referendum on Obama instead of a referendum on Vitter (>).

The Vitter campaign had a huge financial advantage; Open Secrets reported that it spent $12.8 million compared to $4.7 million for the Melançon campaign (>).
 
A final contextual point to recall about this race is that April to Sept. 2010.the massive BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill was befouling the Gulf of Mexico and the Louisiana coast.


Campaign Managers:
David Vitter:  Kyle Ruckert
Also managed Vitter's 2004 Senate campaign.  Chief of staff to Rep. and then Sen. Vitter, May 2003-May 2015; started as legislative director to Vitter, June 1999-Apr. 2003.  Legislative assistant to U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry, Jan. 1997-1999.  Staff assistant/intern to U.S. Rep. Bob Livingston, 1996.  B.A. in political science, history from Tulane University, 1996.

Charlie Melançon:  Bradley Beychok
Campaign manager on U.S. Rep. Melançon's 2006 and 2008 congressional campaigns.  Deputy press secretary to U.S. Rep. Melançon, June 2005-June 2006.  Body man on Attorney General Richard Ieyoub's 2003 campaign for governor.  B.A. in mass communication and political communication from Louisiana State University, 2005.  Baton Rouge native; his father was a political consultant.



See also:
Bill Barrow.  "Departrment of Justice gives approval to Louisiana's open primaries."  The Times-Picayune, Feb. 9, 2011.

Jeremy Alford. "Lesser known candidates also vying for Senate seat."  Houma Today, Oct. 31, 2010.

Emily Schultheis.  "Louisiana Senate race turns ugly."  Politico, Aug. 13, 2010.

Russell McCulley.  "U.S. senator apologizes for sex scandal."  Reuters, July 16, 2007.

"Senator David Vitter."  Public Apology Central.






ADVERTISEMENT