Hurricanes Blow Hope Into Race For 2nd District
by Frank Donze - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

Out of disaster comes opportunity. And a political scramble.

Thanks to the upheaval -- physical and psychic -- caused for voters by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, the strategic landscape has shifted in the hotly contested Democratic primary for the 2nd Congressional District -- an election originally slated for Sept. 6.

Citing lingering disruptions from Gustav, Gov. Bobby Jindal postponed the primary until Oct. 4. In some respects, the four-week delay offers a do-over for embattled U.S. Rep. William Jefferson, who is awaiting trial on federal corruption charges, and his six challengers.

Last month, as the originally scheduled election date neared, the seven candidates appeared to be losing the battle to win the attention of voters, who were preoccupied with presidential politics, back-to-school logistics and evacuation worries.

The fresh threat to Louisiana's coast posed by Hurricane Ike largely chilled campaign activity again last week. But as life around New Orleans begins to return to normal, political handicappers say that the extended election season will allow everyone involved to reboot on the campaign and -- if the tropics remain calm for the next three weeks -- to get another shot at connecting with voters.

The next 19 days will be crucial and hectic, they say.