Qualifying Starts Today For A Busy Political Season
by MIKE HASTEN - News Star (excerpt)

BATON ROUGE — Qualifying for offices to be filled in this fall's elections starts Wednesday, and if as many candidates that are rumored to jump into the races for U.S. Senate, House of Representatives and lieutenant governor actually do it, it could be a busy next three days in the secretary of state's office.

Qualifying officially starts at 8 a.m. through Friday. It ends at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday but doesn't shut down until 5 p.m. on Friday. Qualifying at the secretary of state's office at the state archives are candidates for lieutenant governor, fulfilling the term of Mitch Landrieu, who was elected mayor of New Orleans; the U.S. Senate; U.S. House; Supreme Court Associate Justice in District 7 (Orleans Parish); seats on each Court of Appeal, and two Public Service Commission seats — District 3, roughly New Orleans and parishes to the west currently represented by Lambert Boissiere, and District 4, basically central and southwest Louisiana currently represented by Clyde Holloway.

The contest for the highest office is the U.S. Senate, where incumbent Sen. David Vitter, R-Metairie, is facing several challengers, most notably U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-Napoleonville. Vitter is leading in money-raising and in public opinion polls. Because of party primaries, the two won't actually square off until the general election Oct. 2.