Louisiana: Downer Files in 3rd District

[ccharles000]

Former Louisiana Speaker Hunt Downer (R) announced Wednesday that he filed the paperwork necessary to enter the open-seat 3rd district race to succeed Rep. Charlie Melancon (D).

"The challenges facing both our country and south Louisiana are too great for me to stand on the sidelines," Downer, who last month retired as a general in the Louisiana National Guard, said in a statement Thursday afternoon. "If there is one thing I've demonstrated, it's that I'm willing to step on toes to get things done. I'll continue to do the same in Washington."

Downer had been widely expected to run in the conservative southern Louisiana district and some insiders now expect the state party establishment and big donors in the district to rally to him. But he'll still face a primary fight where his biggest competition will be attorney Jeff Landry.

Landry's camp on Thursday pointed to an internal poll of 300 Republican voters from late April that showed Landry running 13 points ahead of Downer in the district. However, more than 50 percent of those surveyed were undecided.

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