With Qualifying for Fall Elections Over, Watch Who Funds Candidates

Expect The Swamp to Spend Big in Local Races This Fall

Qualifying for Louisiana's fall elections ended yesterday- a crowded ballot with races for U.S. Senate, Congress, State Senate Seats, Judicial elections, and local offices like School Board and Parish President.

While the Congressional races may grab the most headlines, the real action will be in those local races. As we've covered repeatedly, Louisiana's political swamp- the special interests abusing taxpayers for their own protection- has not been shy about spending big money in local races.

First, the coastal-lawsuit trial lawyers who have dumped big money into races for Parish President in places like Jefferson Parish and St. Bernard Parish to elect sympathetic Presidents who use their power to hire the very lawyers who fund their campaigns. With a hotly contested race for Parish President in coastal Plaquemines Parish, watch for trial-lawyers to try to get another win in their quest to destroy Louisiana jobs.

With several important judicial races on the ballot across the state, the trial-lawyers will also have an opportunity to elect more friendly judges- as they have in the past, dumping millions into races for Court of Appeal and the State Supreme Court. These judges will not only be the ones ruling on lawsuits against the oil & gas industry- they also set the fees paid to the trial-lawyers who file the lawsuits- meaning investments in these races can pay off big time. Millions of taxpayer dollars are at stake- as the trial-lawyers themselves have said repeatedly that "The taxpayers have to pay the bill".

Trial-lawyers aren't the only swamp creatures who will be closely watching down-ballot races this fall. Before this year's legislative session, Louisiana's teachers' unions significantly increased their donations to state legislators. With two competitive State Senate races on the ballot, look for the teachers' unions to invest in electing Senators who will fight policies like school choice. After all, their big investments have paid off in the past, with the millions spent electing Governor Edwards paying off big time with his vetoes of several school choice bills this year- denying parents of special needs children the ability to use their funds to find better educational options.

In races for Parish President, Judicial seats, and the legislature, be wary of those candidates who run on free-market values while taking big money from the very attorneys and unions who stand to benefit the most from their election. We'll report throughout the campaign season on just who is taking money from these swamp creatures.

You can read all of our previous stories on Louisiana's job-killing trial-lawyers here.

You can read all of our past stories on Louisiana's education swamp here.

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