Gary Chambers Jr., pictured here in a file photo, is running against U.S. Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana. He had the opportunity to do the right thing, to speak the truth, to uphold his oath to the Constitution and defend our democracy. The premise of Garys campaign is that the moderate, mushy middle doesnt exist. As they begin their campaigns to unseat the formidable Republican incumbent, John N. Kennedy, Mixon and Chambers neatly capture the two major strains of the Louisiana Democratic Party. More:Robert F. Kennedy Jr. becomes latest Democrat challenging Biden in 2024 for White House. And Mixon said, We must fight back against extremism and like Ive said before I would vote to codify Roe to ensure that we protect womens health care. Gary's a fighter for Justice. His campaign manager is Ben Riggs, who until recently served as the state partys press secretary. He now works as a commercial airline pilot. His first campaign video, "37 Seconds," features him smoking a blunt and. Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. John N. Kennedy, of Madisonville, spent 20 minutes recounting legislation he has supported since taking office six years ago and blaming President Joe Biden for all manner ills from crime to the pandemic. But Kennedy remains popular in the state and is a consummate fundraiser. Sen. Kennedy had that opportunity on Jan. 6, 2021. Click Here to report it. "In his (Kennedy's) announcement video, he said, 'Ill never let you down, Id rather drink weed killer.' In just 37 seconds, Democrat Gary Chambers lit up Louisiana's race for the U.S. Senate. Increasingly the Senate results line up with how a state votes at the presidential level, said Jessica Taylor, who handicaps Senate races for the Cook Political Report in Washington. These four candidates have announced and raised money for the Senate race, but five others also arrived to throw their hat into the ring by the end of the first day of qualifying. The other candidates reported little or no fundraising activity through the campaign. The Republican incumbent was one of six Republican senators who voted to sustain an objection to Arizona's electoral votes presented by Rep. Paul Gosar and Sen. Ted Cruz during the counting of the electoral votes on January 6, 2021. Doug Jones, despite Kennedy not seeming to have run an actual campaign. Gary Chambers in his ad "37 Seconds." Kennedy is one of two Democratic challengers facing off against Biden in 2024. John Kennedy (R-LA) tore into the Biden administration and liberal political establishment in typical colorful fashion at the Conservative Political Action . Republicans often do it by putting up ads in which they fire some guns, but after a dozen other candidates do that, it loses its edge. John Bel Edwards, U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, U.S. Rep. His first campaign video, "37 Seconds," features him smoking a blunt and discussing marijuana arrests and policy. Louisiana 's lone U.S. Senate race features Republican incumbent John Kennedy, who is seeking a second term. in the upcoming midterm election. According to OpenSecrets, Kennedy raised $37.5 million, spent $25.2 million, and had $13.6 million cash on hand, as of October 19. Chambersmade his mark on the political landscape last year when he showed surprising grassroots support in his race against political heavyweights Troy Carter and Karen Carter Petersonin the 2nd Congressional District race. Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate.com. Our infrastructure is crumbling and communities are flooding, but Sen. Kennedy voted against billions of dollars to improve our roads and protect Louisiana communities from natural disasters, said Mixon. "Louisiana went from populist Democrat to staunchly deep-red Republican at the federal level and John Kennedy has been all those.". Candidates successful in Southern states like Louisiana are centrist, Taylor said. U.S. Rep. Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge, hasnt announced his plans. But sooner or later, its bound to happen. Kennedy is expected to win the most votes, but he needs to win 50 percent of the vote to avoid a run off election. This isn't the first time Chambers has made a splash with a video. The former attorney is an anti-vaccine activist and has received criticism in the pastfor criticizing COVID-19 restrictions, making anti-vaccinecomments and spreading misinformation about the pandemic and vaccines. Chambers strikes a serious tone in his first campaign ad. Health care costs are bankrupting families, yet Sen. Kennedy voted to end coverage for over half a million hard-working people in our state. Senator John Kennedy, who comes up for re-election in the fall of 2022. Unless one candidate gets more than half the ballots, the top two vote-getters will be in a runoff Dec. 10. WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Voters across Louisiana will soon make their choice for one of the states two U.S. Senate seats. In June 2020, a clip of him at a school board meeting was seen widely after he called out a board member for shopping online while community members were discussing why the district needed to rename a local school named after Robert E. Lee. Every single day, Louisianans across the state work hard to lift their families up to make ends meet and to build a better future for their children, and every day they are met with roadblock after roadblock, especially this past year, Chambers said in a press release. Two congressional incumbents U.S. Reps. He gained national attention last month with the release of a campaign ad in which he puffs on a blunt . So hats off to Gary Chambers of Louisiana, who did something in a new campaign ad in his bid for U.S. Senate that I dont think any candidate has done before: Smoke marijuana. This image (made from video made available by the Democratic National Committee via the LBJ Library) shows a mushroom cloud from a nuclear explosion in a 1964 presidential campaign television commercial titled "Peace, Little Girl" and known as the "Daisy" ad made by the DNC for Lyndon B. Johnson in his race against former Sen. Barry Goldwater. Mixon grew up in Central Louisiana as a farmer's son, graduated from Bunkie High School and was selected to attend the U.S. Coleman has no shortage of data to explain why Kennedy is heavily favored over either Democrat. This image (made from video made available by the Democratic National Committee via the LBJ Library) shows a mushroom cloud from a nuclear explosion in a 1964 presidential campaign television commercial titled "Peace, Little Girl" and known as the "Daisy" ad made by the DNC for Lyndon B. Johnson in his race against former Sen. Barry Goldwater. Those are the big questions in Louisiana politics in the immediate aftermath of the senator's smashing victory Tuesday. (KNOE) - It appears Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) will have a challenger for his position on Capitol Hill. The 69-year-old Kennedy is . Chambers is running to unseat Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) Im proud of my record. Louisiana voters will find a U.S. Senate race at the top of their ballots this fall. But Democratic challenger Luke Mixon says investing in the youth would be a better solution to crime than what Kennedy offers. And not some elegantly subtle vape pen either, but a big fat blunt, which Chambers smokes as his voice-over describes the toll of the war on drugs. University of Louisiana-Monroe professor Pearson Cross said whether you enjoy Kennedys style or not, he has a significant fundraising advantage to share his message with voters in the race. Kennedy grills Biden nominee, questions 'radical' views, Republican legislators: Why we're against Joe Biden's infrastructure bill, Gary Chambers Jr. smokes marijuana in new ad for U.S. Senate seat, Our Views: Senate candidate Gary Chambers gets blunt, Gary Chambers wins first important endorsement in campaign against U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, U.S. Senate Democrat Luke Mixon is far behind John Kennedy in raising campaign dollars, John Kennedy begins 2022 with huge money advantage as he seeks re-election to U.S. Senate, Luke Mixon capitalizes on his military background to attack Sen. John Kennedy on Russia. Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics. As in other Southern states, the Democratic Party in Louisiana has declined because it has hemorrhaged White voters, said John Couvillon, a Baton Rouge-based pollster and demographer. Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy draws first Democratic opponent, Luke Mixon, for 2022 race Greg Hilburn Lafayette Daily Advertiser 0:00 1:11 Former U.S. Navy fighter pilot Luke Mixon of Baton. Steib answered, I would not vote to cut Medicare or Social Security at all., And Mixon said, Absolutely not and again, Im glad you asked that question because its a distinct reminder of when people tell you what theyre going to do believe them, and right now the Republican Party is continuing to say that they will cut or defund Social Security and Medicare.. On the abortion debate, none of the three-Democratic Party endorsed candidates would back a federal abortion ban. Kennedy, a. Mixon is a Bunkie native who graduated from the Naval Academy in 2001 and was a fighter pilot for 17 years with four deployments from aircraft carriers to support missions in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria,earning three Air Medals. Senator for Louisiana. But if history is any indication, an eye-catching campaign ad can lead to big success. Chambers, a Democrat, narrowly missed a runoff in last year's race for the 2nd Congressional District. Senator John Kennedy, a Republican, is re-elected to another term in office. Now a commercial pilot, Mixon said he felt compelled to challenge Kennedy because he believes the senator lacks decency and moral courage. In the ad. Is it a stunt? Chambers is coming off a strong third-place showing in last years special election to replace Cedric Richmond in a congressional district that stretches from New Orleans to Baton Rouge and was drawn to elect a Black candidate. "There is right and wrong and I will not stand by while people spit in the face of the democracy that my friends and I have fought so hard to defend.". Copyright 2022 Gray DC. Three Democrats will challenge Sen. John Kennedy on Nov. 8 ballot. We need moderation and civility and folks who care more about the people they represent in the country than themselves and the political party they represent, Luke Mixon said on Jim Engsters Talk Louisiana radio show in October just after declaring his candidacy. Mixon criticized Kennedy's record, pointing to his recent opposition to the bipartisan infrastructure bill among other votes. Bill Rouselle, a veteran ad man in New Orleans, is assisting Arsement. 2022 by Howie Klein. Chambers argues that Democrats have to forge a new path, with a forceful message that will energize working-class people who havent seen a reason to vote. John Kennedy attempts to hold senate seat, avoid runoff election, Lawmakers join Urkaines fmr. Circuit, though the nomination was still confirmed . The ad, titled "37 Seconds," features Chambers lighting up a blunt as he addresses the racial disparities of marijuana-related arrests and the costs . The line of candidates and supporters snaked through the courtyard in front of the State Archives in Baton Rouge before the doors opened. Images of pigs in stalls flashed on the screen as she concluded: "Washington is full of big spenders. Jan 18, 2022, 10:38 AM EST. Russias invasion of Ukraine has given Luke Mixon an opening to invoke his past as a Navy fighter pilot to try to gain traction in the early s. In order for Democrats to be viable, they have to have enough money to get their name out there. SHREVEPORT, La. In Louisiana, all candidates, regardless of their partisan affiliations, compete in a first-round election, in which a candidate can win the election by receiving more than 50% a simple majority of the vote, a threshold Kennedy passed on Nov. 8. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1. hide caption. He completed his Naval service as the commanding officer of the Navys F/A-18 squadron in New Orleans. I hope you do, even if it's just $5 or $10. The goal was to grab attention, while highlighting a serious issue Chambers hopes to tackle if elected, he told NPR. Sen. Kennedy seeks re-election; Democratic Party-endorsed candidates hope to force a runoff, Kennedy did not consent to an interview with FOX 8 on his re-election bid, Skull fragment found in Lake Pontchartrain identified as prehistoric indigenous remains, Boy, 5, shot Sunday night in Avondale home, Two men shot -- one fatally -- Sunday in Thibodaux, authorities say, Family identifies 18-year-old slain in Bay St. Louis mass shooting. He captured the attention of the media, which had been entirely ignoring his campaign before that. Chambers brought a bottle of weed killer, referencing Kennedys oft-used bit over the years of saying hed rather drink poison than adopt this or that political stance. Exclusive: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. launches unlikely presidential bid backed by 14% of Biden voters. Kennedy won state's open senate seat Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016. We could not be happier to see a decorated veteran step up and answer the call to serve his country once again by fighting back against failed Sen. John Kennedy, she said in a statement. The chances of Gary Chambers winning next November are slim. Weve got to have a real solution to the opportunity gap that exists in Louisiana, weve got to figure out how do we find the resources to help build stronger education, weve got to make sure that we dont turn away resources from the federal level to help us create jobs, weve got to figure out what are future jobs for our state, we cant just rely on oil and gas., said Chambers. The jungle primary, featuring Kennedy and all of his opponents, regardless of party, will be Nov. 8. Senator John Boozman, R-Ark., in the GOP primary. U. S. Sen. John Kennedy, R-Madisonville, on Thursday grilled President Joseph Biden's nominee for Comptroller of the Currency for what Kenned. More: Troy Carter, Karen Carter Peterson to face off for New Orleans' congressional seat. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. John Bel Edwards signed into law a bill that reduces penalties for small amounts of the drug. The 3rd Congressional District covers parishes in Southwest Louisiana. While the current top-down, one-size-fits-all approach does not give seniors the access and choices they deserve, the RSC Budget would provide seniors with more control and flexibility over their healthcare future. Congress approves $28.6 billion in disaster aid for Louisiana, other states, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Louisiana has voted Republican in every presidential race since 1980 except for two elections: 1992 and 1996, when the state when for Democrat Bill Clinton. John Bel Edwards and has the type of centrist profile that until recently often catapulted Louisiana Democrats into statewide office. An activist and community organizer, he has never held public office, though he has run unsuccessfully for a couple of lower offices. Chambers candidacy prompted a headline from The Hayride that said, Were Ecstatic, with the conservative website forecasting that it would mean the Democratic Partys further decline. Kennedy said the measure would increase the federal deficit and didnt direct enough of its dollars to actual infrastructure projects. U.S. Sen. John Kennedy is running for re-election this year with a campaign war chest that dwarfs those of his Democratic opponents. FILE - Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., speaks during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal year 2023 budget for the FBI in Washington, Wednesday, May 25, 2022. The. Kennedy was born in Centreville, Mississippi, but raised in nearby Zachary, Louisiana, a small town about 15 . The stakes are too high for you to stay home.". John Kennedy has actively blocked efforts to get Hurricane Laura and Ida victims necessary resources to recover from the storms, he has stalled critical funding to upgrade our crumbling infrastructure, and he even voted against funding to support Louisiana families, said Katie Bernhardt. Kennedy was endorsed by former President Donald Trump. He previously was the state treasurer (2000-17). (2016 marks Kennedy's third bid for Senate; he ran as a Democrat in 2004 and . John F. Kennedy Jr., the son and namesake of the nation's 35th president, died 10 days after then-first lady Hillary Clinton made her first public moves to run for a soon-to-open U.S. Senate .