Landrieu visits St. Landry- Kennedy announces bid to unseat senator
by William Johnson - Opelousas Daily World (excerpt)

While next fall's senate race was barely mentioned, Thursday's visit to Opelousas by U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu had the feeling of a campaign rally.

While the senatorial race is still a year away, the campaigning already has started. State Treasurer John Kennedy announced earlier in the day, via a new campaign Web site, he will be challenging Landrieu.

"Over the next few months, I will lay the groundwork of support for an aggressive campaign that will focus on a frank discussion of the issues and how I will help move Louisiana forward working in tandem with our new reform leadership in Baton Rouge," Kennedy said in his announcement.

Kennedy had sparked rumors of running for the Senate after switching from Democrat to Republican shortly before winning re-election to his state post.

"I'm on the appropriations committee, the small business committee. I'm rewriting the way our country responses to catastrophes. We had a test (during hurricanes Katrina and Rita) and obviously we failed. I will be rewriting that law," Landrieu said.