Louisiana Politics: First TV spot appears in race for La. treasurer

The chatter among the lawmakers and lobbyists at late last month at the annual LegisGator event, at L'Auberge in Lake Charles, included reports on a commercial many had seen on their hotel television screens that morning.

It was from state Sen. Neil Riser of Columbia, who, with that spot, became the first candidate for treasurer to go up on television. The ad focused heavily on drainage and weather-related issues, along with a bit of anti-tax messaging.

While the ad originally aired in the Lake Charles market last week with a relatively small buy pushing it, the commercial was running in at least the Alexandria, Baton Rouge and Shreveport media markets as well as of last week.

Not to be outdone, former commissioner of administration Angele Davis of Baton Rouge has started rolling out sponsored social media that features photos of her duck hunting alongside former Gov. Mike Foster.

It's an important endorsement for her campaign, and the images no doubt caught the attention of eager hunters waiting for the opening of teal season on Sept. 15.

Lionel Rainey, strategist and media consultant for former Rep. John Schroder of Covington, said his camp has been "very tactical" in its approach to digital advertising and they're specifically 'targeting likely voters in key precincts across the state in micro-digital campaigns.'

When it comes to sponsored social media alone, Schroder's engagement does appear to be among the strongest.

What election-watchers are really waiting on, though, is Schroder's coming TV buy, which could be sizable based on what little he has spent so far on other platforms.

On Labor Day, though, Schroder did release a five-minute bio video online that tells his life story and explains his political stances.

Whitney nabs GOP nod
In a move that caught some politicos by surprise last week, former Rep. Lenar Whitney of Houma secured the endorsement of the Louisiana Republican Party for her Public Service Commission campaign.

Her route to the endorsement included collecting signed affidavits of support from a majority of the Republican State Central Committee members residing in the PSC district.

That then allowed her to trigger a vote of the RSCC Executive Committee, on which Whitney, a national committeewoman, sits.

"Lenar Whitney is the most conservative Republican in the race for Public Service Commissioner," Republican Party of Louisiana Chairman Roger Villere said in a press release. "The Republican Party of Louisiana and I encourage all conservatives in Louisiana to vote for Lenar Whitney in October."

Also in the race for the 2nd District seat are former Rep. Damon Baldone of Houma and Dr. Craig Greene of Baton Rouge. The two men are Republicans.

Those involved with the endorsement contend that past and more recent connections between Gov. John Bel Edwards and both Baldone and Greene played heavily in the decision-making process.

History: Charles Edmund Nash
Charles E. Nash, running on his personal story as a wounded war hero, was the first person ever elected to Louisiana's 6th Congressional District in 1875. He was also the first African-American ever elected to Congress from the state, and the only one until the late 20th century, in 1991, when Bill Jefferson took office in the 2nd Congressional District.

A Republican, Nash won his one and only term by just 1,000 votes and federal troops had to be called into Louisiana to make sure his transition to elected office went smoothly.

He joined what was then a record number of black representatives in the House for the 44th Congress. There were eight in all. Many had trouble, however, getting recognized to speak before their colleagues in the Democratically-controlled chamber.

Nash did eventually get some floor time, on June 7, 1875, well after darkness had fallen on Washington, D.C. Nash declared that the country could and would overcome its racial divisions.

"For we are not enemies, but brethren," Nash said from the floor.

"America will not die. As the time demands them, great men will appear, and by their combined efforts render liberty and happiness more secure."

Voters did not give Nash a second term. The archives of the U.S. House, in Nash's member biography, paint a portrait of a man who went back to normal life:

"Abandoning his political career at the close of the 44th Congress, Nash returned to Louisiana to work as a bricklayer. After injuries and his age forced him to abandon the trade, he served briefly as postmaster in St. Landry Parish in 1882. Nash subsequently made his living as a cigar maker. He died in New Orleans, on June 21, 1913."

They said it
"Why did Alabama raise the drinking age to 32? They wanted to keep alcohol out of the high schools."
--U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, speaking during the annual LegisGator event in Lake Charles recently

"When I was a student I was an A student in history. But that was when there were only 13 states."€
--State Senate President John Alario, R-Westwego, during the same event
For more Louisiana political news, visit www.LaPolitics.com or follow Jeremy Alford on Twitter @LaPoliticsNow.