So Much For The Kinder, Gentler Downer Campaign
For the last week or so since our rather uncomplimentary review of its tactics the Hunt Downer campaign for Louisiana’s 3rd District congressional seat has been relatively quiet in terms of slinging mud at frontrunner Jeff Landry.
That’s over, from the looks of it.
A release from the Downer campaign today heralds the debut of www.JeffLandryLiedtoYOU.com, a website detailing all the horrible things Landry has said. Along with the site’s address came this statement from our favorite 25-year old campaign manager Buddy Boe:
“Landry has been lying to the public regarding his positions on key issues and things in his past, and has repeatedly lied about Hunt’s record. Landry promised to run a positive campaign yet he spent months and hundreds of thousands of dollars trashing Hunt’s lifetime of service and deceiving the voters. It’s time the public knows the truth about Jeff Landry.”
You’d think the public would know the truth about Landry by now given the Downer campaign’s efforts to tell it, but apparently they’re not satisfied yet. The site purports to highlight a different Landry lie every day until the Oct. 2 runoff, with the first apparently being disputed statements about military service.
But we couldn’t help but giggle a bit about the site, since when we took a look at it we were shocked at the amazing similarity between its design and that of our friend Chris Gary’s site at CajunConservatism.com. Chris is, of course, a big Landry supporter and a member of the Iberia Republican Parish Executive Committee Boe spent time castigating a couple of weeks ago. Ironic, then, that the Downer campaign knocked off his site to attack Landry.
Will there be a response by the Landry campaign? According to John Maginnis, writing at the Baton Rouge Business Report, probably not…
— Despite predictions that he would quit the Republican runoff in the 3rd District after trailing badly in the primary, Hunt Downer is carrying on with his campaign. Downer says he was looking forward to meeting frontrunner Jeff Landry in a debate in Houma Thursday night. Also slated to participate was Democratic nominee Ravi Sangisetty. But Landry’s campaign stated the New Iberia Republican would not attend the debate sponsored by cable station HTV. “There is no need to continue to debate Mr. Downer,” says consultant Brent Littlefield, noting that Landry debated Downer multiple times in the primary season.
Littlefield also told the Houma Courier that the debate’s format was somewhat ridiculous, owing to the fact that had Landry showed up there would be three candidates on hand with only two to be on the ballot in November. But at the debate in Houma last night, Downer and Sangisetty disagreed on not much. The affair more or less emitted a Charlies Melancon-Chet Traylor vibe…
Downer and Sangisetty agreed on many points. Both described themselves as pro-gun and pro-life, said the federal government needs to stop wasteful spending and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ bureaucracy gets in the way of coastal-restoration work. They agree that health care should be centered on a doctor-patient relationship and not influenced by bureaucrats. Downer said he would repeal President Obama’s health-care overhaul, but Sangisetty stopped short of such a promise.
Both said imported seafood should be held to the same standards as domestic product.
…
They also agree that fellow candidate Landry plays dirty politics.
Sangisetty said the absent candidate is “blatantly dishonest” about Downer’s position on abortion.
Landry has distorted Down’s position using campaign ads, “untruths and lies,” Downer said.
Asked afterward if his comments were unfair, considering Landry wasn’t there to defend himself, Downer said no.
“He knew I was going to confront him on those issues,” Downer said.
The chummy attitude toward Sangisetty Downer showed in the debate probably didn’t help him a great deal with the Republican primary voters who are a lot more interested in candidates who will eviscerate Democrats politically rather than make common cause with them. But that’s neither here nor there.
Landry’s campaign didn’t have much of a response to the sniping when we contacted them today – left unsaid is the fact that with it being all but impossible for Downer to win on Oct. 2, it’s pointless to spill any further blood on the beleagured Republican rival. But they did have a response on today’s military service issue, where Downer says Landry is lying for calling himself a veteran of Desert Storm since his National Guard unit was deployed at Fort Hood rather than Iraq during that conflict…
“It’s unfortunate the Mr. Downer would sink to such divisive attacks, which are tactics that career politicians have used for decades to remain in power,” Philip Joffrion, Landry’s campaign manager, said today. “Our campaign will focus on the issues that matter to the voters – jobs, the economy and out-of-control Washington spending.”
The implication is that Downer’s campaign apparently won’t stop attacking Landry for the two weeks and change leading up to the election. And Landry is going to try very hard to avoid even acknowledging Downer’s existence.
is the hayride going to post an article about Jeff bailing out on 2 debates?
Mr. Downer is nowhere near perfect with his campaign, but it seems Jeff Landry is worshiped by this website.
By the way, its funny the Landry campaign says they are going to stick to the issues, because they have not done that yet so far, in fact they attacked Hunt's military record also…yet nothing from the hayride!
Before you start your campaign trolling remarks, i don't like either of them, It's just plainly obvious on who The Hayride supports.
"i don't like either of them, It's just plainly obvious on who The Hayride supports.
" Amen!
No coverage at all on Landry lying about his stance on abortion either.
still waiting for that "official" endorsement…
I thought journalism was suppose to cover the facts and not the opinions?
Buddy, are you not content in your own little website running garbage politics about Landry?
Exactly what lies did Landry tell? He said Downer was Clinton's state chairman in 1992, which he was, and that he's supported pro-choice candidates. That is true. He also pointed out that Downer's record on pro-life stances isn't perfect. That's also true. I wouldn't say it's a complete presentation of Downer's abortion stance and record, but the statements themselves aren't lies. Landry is more pro-life than Downer is, though Downer is most accurately described as pro-life.
I've said several times that I'm not comfortable with either side bringing abortion into the race. I've also said that I don't agree with everything Landry's campaign has said, and particularly not on the abortion issue – I think they've spun some things. All campaigns are guilty of that. By comparison Downer has been far worse. The lawsuit thing and the roommate's cocaine arrest were horrendous abuses on the part of his campaign, and it's that kind of crap which frightens off good people from getting into politics.
write an article about the landry campaign spinning things. you have yet to write one article in the 3rd congressional district having a positive towards any candidate other than magar.
are you on landry's payroll?
btw the payroll comment was a joke
but really, make the articles interesting. at least see a positve on both sides, its journalism! dig for the truth on both sides and compare on both lies.
Just to let you know, it is a violation of our terms of service to comment under multiple aliases. We don't cotton to anonymous campaign trolling on this site. "the wet hayride" and "getaloadathis" are multiple aliases on the same IP address, and that won't be tolerated.
Just because Downer's record continues to haunt him does not mean that there is unfair journalism. His record is what it is. There is no spinning when you point out the facts, which is something that both Buddy Boe and Hunt Downer have failed to do with Landry.
We support the conservative Republican candidate best suited to flipping the seat to the GOP. It's patently obvious Landry is that candidate, and it's been patently obvious that's the case since he came within 160-odd votes of winning the race outright in the first primary.
In fact, few politicos you talk to even understand why Downer is still in this race. Everyone knows he can't win. He looks like a stalking horse for Sangisetty at this point. Or more accurately, he's reminiscent of Mike Castle.
Hunt is definitely not a Mike Castle. Sure Hunt was a Democrat at a time, but Louisiana history will tell you that a time unless you registered as a Democrat pre 1970's you were almost left out of the election process.
Alot of political newcomers do not realize this because the rise of the Republican Party in the 1980's.and 1990's when the national Democratic party left the traditional values of most Louisianians.
Some of these newer younger Republican/Tea Partiers seem to forget this.
Hunt has a long history of getting things done for the area he represented (i.e. Hwy 90 between Morgan City and Houma), and what has Jeff Landry done. All that Jeff has shown is that he is a trial lawyer that only looks out for himself and smears mud at a Major General in the National Guard while disgracing his honor. All the time while buying his way into the nomination, by hiring the LA Republican party's staff to support his campaign.
If it's Landry or Sangisetty, as a Republican voter in the 3rd District, I may have to vote for Sangisetty.
Jeff Landry is NOT a trial attorney, unlike Hunt Downer, so try again.
Landry is not a "trial lawyer" in the sense you mean it. Generally speaking, both candidates are "trial lawyers."
As for the comparison to Mike Castle, it's quite valid. Neither have accepted the fact the voters have rejected them.
The race isn't over yet.
Sure the Tea Party may have rightly so defeated Mike Castle, but Hunt is no Mike Castle.
Mike Castle was a luke warm Republican at best.
Hunt believes in more republican values than any other candidate in the race.
It's over. Don't kid yourself. If it wasn't over you wouldn't have the entire GOP apparatus in the state telling Downer to get out. They don't make those moves amid a contested race.
If you vote for a Democrat in this election, then you are no conservative.
If I'm not mistaken, there was information in this article about the reason Landry did not attend these debates.
is the hayride going to post an article about Jeff bailing out on 2 debates?
Mr. Downer is nowhere near perfect with his campaign, but it seems Jeff Landry is worshiped by this website.
By the way, its funny the Landry campaign says they are going to stick to the issues, because they have not done that yet so far, in fact they attacked Hunt's military record also…yet nothing from the hayride!
Before you start your campaign trolling remarks, i don't like either of them, It's just plainly obvious on who The Hayride supports.
"i don't like either of them, It's just plainly obvious on who The Hayride supports.
" Amen!
No coverage at all on Landry lying about his stance on abortion either.
still waiting for that "official" endorsement…
I thought journalism was suppose to cover the facts and not the opinions?
Buddy, are you not content in your own little website running garbage politics about Landry?
Exactly what lies did Landry tell? He said Downer was Clinton's state chairman in 1992, which he was, and that he's supported pro-choice candidates. That is true. He also pointed out that Downer's record on pro-life stances isn't perfect. That's also true. I wouldn't say it's a complete presentation of Downer's abortion stance and record, but the statements themselves aren't lies. Landry is more pro-life than Downer is, though Downer is most accurately described as pro-life.
I've said several times that I'm not comfortable with either side bringing abortion into the race. I've also said that I don't agree with everything Landry's campaign has said, and particularly not on the abortion issue – I think they've spun some things. All campaigns are guilty of that. By comparison Downer has been far worse. The lawsuit thing and the roommate's cocaine arrest were horrendous abuses on the part of his campaign, and it's that kind of crap which frightens off good people from getting into politics.
write an article about the landry campaign spinning things. you have yet to write one article in the 3rd congressional district having a positive towards any candidate other than magar.
are you on landry's payroll?
btw the payroll comment was a joke
but really, make the articles interesting. at least see a positve on both sides, its journalism! dig for the truth on both sides and compare on both lies.
Just to let you know, it is a violation of our terms of service to comment under multiple aliases. We don't cotton to anonymous campaign trolling on this site. "the wet hayride" and "getaloadathis" are multiple aliases on the same IP address, and that won't be tolerated.
Just because Downer's record continues to haunt him does not mean that there is unfair journalism. His record is what it is. There is no spinning when you point out the facts, which is something that both Buddy Boe and Hunt Downer have failed to do with Landry.
We support the conservative Republican candidate best suited to flipping the seat to the GOP. It's patently obvious Landry is that candidate, and it's been patently obvious that's the case since he came within 160-odd votes of winning the race outright in the first primary.
In fact, few politicos you talk to even understand why Downer is still in this race. Everyone knows he can't win. He looks like a stalking horse for Sangisetty at this point. Or more accurately, he's reminiscent of Mike Castle.
Hunt is definitely not a Mike Castle. Sure Hunt was a Democrat at a time, but Louisiana history will tell you that a time unless you registered as a Democrat pre 1970's you were almost left out of the election process.
Alot of political newcomers do not realize this because the rise of the Republican Party in the 1980's.and 1990's when the national Democratic party left the traditional values of most Louisianians.
Some of these newer younger Republican/Tea Partiers seem to forget this.
Hunt has a long history of getting things done for the area he represented (i.e. Hwy 90 between Morgan City and Houma), and what has Jeff Landry done. All that Jeff has shown is that he is a trial lawyer that only looks out for himself and smears mud at a Major General in the National Guard while disgracing his honor. All the time while buying his way into the nomination, by hiring the LA Republican party's staff to support his campaign.
If it's Landry or Sangisetty, as a Republican voter in the 3rd District, I may have to vote for Sangisetty.
Jeff Landry is NOT a trial attorney, unlike Hunt Downer, so try again.
Landry is not a "trial lawyer" in the sense you mean it. Generally speaking, both candidates are "trial lawyers."
As for the comparison to Mike Castle, it's quite valid. Neither have accepted the fact the voters have rejected them.
The race isn't over yet.
Sure the Tea Party may have rightly so defeated Mike Castle, but Hunt is no Mike Castle.
Mike Castle was a luke warm Republican at best.
Hunt believes in more republican values than any other candidate in the race.
It's over. Don't kid yourself. If it wasn't over you wouldn't have the entire GOP apparatus in the state telling Downer to get out. They don't make those moves amid a contested race.
If you vote for a Democrat in this election, then you are no conservative.
If I'm not mistaken, there was information in this article about the reason Landry did not attend these debates.
Note: HTV is a broadcast station not a cable station. It broadcasts on channel 30.
The debate was available Houma area cable systems and Uverse in New Orleans on channel 10 and 71 in Morgan City.
FYI…It is scheduled to re-air Friday and Saturday at 9 p.m. It is also streamed online at http://www.htv10.tv.
i'll be looking forward to seeing it! thanks!
Note: HTV is a broadcast station not a cable station. It broadcasts on channel 30.
The debate was available Houma area cable systems and Uverse in New Orleans on channel 10 and 71 in Morgan City.
FYI…It is scheduled to re-air Friday and Saturday at 9 p.m. It is also streamed online at http://www.htv10.tv.
i'll be looking forward to seeing it! thanks!
I watched some of the so-call debate on HTV. Donner is a career politician .My opinion of career politician is corruption.I believe in the Tea Party movement. VOTE JEFF LANDRY.
I watched some of the so-call debate on HTV. Donner is a career politician .My opinion of career politician is corruption.I believe in the Tea Party movement. VOTE JEFF LANDRY.
Anybody remember when Downer was speaker and changed the rules on lobbyist and took away alot of their perks? Remember how Foster didn't like Downer cleaning things up? Landry is an unknown and I do not like his tactics, I would like to see a debate between them but landry is leading in the polls and there's no way he's going to debate anyone right now and chance stepping on his tongue. Downer seems to be a class act and a good person, Landry?
While Downer has a distinguished record, his campaign has been anything but classy. Smearing your opponent with innuendo about drug abuse based on a 17-year old arrest of a roommate is one of the worst abuses of the political process I've seen, even in Louisiana. That is now part of Downer's legacy.
its politics, get over it.
btw why don't you back track all the things little Jeffrey said about Hunt in his campaign and we shall see how "classy" Jeffrey boy is.
don't even attempt to try and comment saying he is attacking on record. don't be a puppet.
Such as???
You're wasting your time with this Downer campaign troll.
Your IP indicates you're in St. John Parish. You're not Buddy Boe, are you?
Either Boe or one of his campaign associates. Must be one of his friends from the nursery.
Anybody remember when Downer was speaker and changed the rules on lobbyist and took away alot of their perks? Remember how Foster didn't like Downer cleaning things up? Landry is an unknown and I do not like his tactics, I would like to see a debate between them but landry is leading in the polls and there's no way he's going to debate anyone right now and chance stepping on his tongue. Downer seems to be a class act and a good person, Landry?
While Downer has a distinguished record, his campaign has been anything but classy. Smearing your opponent with innuendo about drug abuse based on a 17-year old arrest of a roommate is one of the worst abuses of the political process I've seen, even in Louisiana. That is now part of Downer's legacy.
its politics, get over it.
btw why don't you back track all the things little Jeffrey said about Hunt in his campaign and we shall see how "classy" Jeffrey boy is.
don't even attempt to try and comment saying he is attacking on record. don't be a puppet.
Such as???
You're wasting your time with this Downer campaign troll.
Your IP indicates you're in St. John Parish. You're not Buddy Boe, are you?
Either Boe or one of his campaign associates. Must be one of his friends from the nursery.
BTW, if Buddy Boe was concerned about citizen input, why is the faux "Landry Lies" site closed for public comment? There is no way to rebut any of the garbage being put up on this site.
rebuting would be pointless when you have the "2 man" crew deleting posts and can't see fiction from reality.
BTW, if Buddy Boe was concerned about citizen input, why is the faux "Landry Lies" site closed for public comment? There is no way to rebut any of the garbage being put up on this site.
rebuting would be pointless when you have the "2 man" crew deleting posts and can't see fiction from reality.
yeah close the "Landry Lies" site for comment, but Buddy "the Campaign Killer" Boe posts from another IP address here as "the wet hayride" – seems like Buddy knows a bunch about wet hay from all the eggs he's laid in recent elections.
Readiness drills at Fort Hood is considered Active Duty service by the Army and the VA – the Louisiana units were deployed there. It's reprehensible and a travesty for Gen. Downer's campaign to treat this issue like an uninformed civilian.
The man at the top knows this and it's an affront to Service members and their families who were sacrificing for their country during a time when Mr. Boe was still getting diaper changes from his Nanny. Man up Hunt.
A hard day's work would kill Buddy Boe, much less than months of service at Ft. Hood. It was not Jeff Landry's fault that the war was won before he could step foot in the Middle East. Maybe Boe can go back and read in his third grade schoolbook about that war instead of insinuating that someone like Jeff Landry, who served his country, was not a veteran of Desert Storm.
chris, we know you are a big Jeff Landry supporter and work for his campaign.
What good would comments do? nobody seems to comment on Chris's good ole websites.
Downer's record does not "haum" him as you say. His record is what seems to make him stronger, its just the twisted attempts that are used to try and bring him down. Search for the truth instead of listening to your leader at the Landry campaign, you might actually learn something.
How do you know that I work for Landry's campaign? Proof please. I am not a paid staffer, but a concerned citizen within the 3rd Congressional District and a friend, yes, a friend, of Jeff Landry, who feels that he is the best candidate for this position. So try something else.
aswell am I, a voter and a supporter, but no friend of Hunt Downer, who i am voting for, who he also seems to feel he is the best candidate for the district, our state, and country.
I am from St. John Parish too, and I do not know Buddy Boe. How many thousands of voters are in this district? I am sure a few are from St. John area, you should look into that.
Macaoid doesn't seem to feel any Landry supporter is a campaign troll, but any Hunt Downer opinioned individual is. typical hypocrites. This is a blog forum open to ALL opinioned individuals.
also, re-read my statement, never said you were being paid, does not mean you are not with the campaign, helping, trolling, typing your virtual OPINIONS, volunteering, etc. . NO proof needed.
typical, typical, typical..
Multiple usernames w/ one IP address equates to a troll.
I have yet to see a Landry supporter posting under multiple aliases from the same IP address. Can't say the same for the other side. In fact, the Landry supporters here usually register for IntenseDebate accounts or WordPress screen-names as we encourage all commenters to do.
And because they do, their posts are less likely to be flagged for deletion or their IP's banned.
yeah close the "Landry Lies" site for comment, but Buddy "the Campaign Killer" Boe posts from another IP address here as "the wet hayride" – seems like Buddy knows a bunch about wet hay from all the eggs he's laid in recent elections.
Readiness drills at Fort Hood is considered Active Duty service by the Army and the VA – the Louisiana units were deployed there. It's reprehensible and a travesty for Gen. Downer's campaign to treat this issue like an uninformed civilian.
The man at the top knows this and it's an affront to Service members and their families who were sacrificing for their country during a time when Mr. Boe was still getting diaper changes from his Nanny. Man up Hunt.
A hard day's work would kill Buddy Boe, much less than months of service at Ft. Hood. It was not Jeff Landry's fault that the war was won before he could step foot in the Middle East. Maybe Boe can go back and read in his third grade schoolbook about that war instead of insinuating that someone like Jeff Landry, who served his country, was not a veteran of Desert Storm.
chris, we know you are a big Jeff Landry supporter and work for his campaign.
What good would comments do? nobody seems to comment on Chris's good ole websites.
Downer's record does not "haum" him as you say. His record is what seems to make him stronger, its just the twisted attempts that are used to try and bring him down. Search for the truth instead of listening to your leader at the Landry campaign, you might actually learn something.
How do you know that I work for Landry's campaign? Proof please. I am not a paid staffer, but a concerned citizen within the 3rd Congressional District and a friend, yes, a friend, of Jeff Landry, who feels that he is the best candidate for this position. So try something else.
aswell am I, a voter and a supporter, but no friend of Hunt Downer, who i am voting for, who he also seems to feel he is the best candidate for the district, our state, and country.
I am from St. John Parish too, and I do not know Buddy Boe. How many thousands of voters are in this district? I am sure a few are from St. John area, you should look into that.
Macaoid doesn't seem to feel any Landry supporter is a campaign troll, but any Hunt Downer opinioned individual is. typical hypocrites. This is a blog forum open to ALL opinioned individuals.
also, re-read my statement, never said you were being paid, does not mean you are not with the campaign, helping, trolling, typing your virtual OPINIONS, volunteering, etc. . NO proof needed.
typical, typical, typical..
Multiple usernames w/ one IP address equates to a troll.
I have yet to see a Landry supporter posting under multiple aliases from the same IP address. Can't say the same for the other side. In fact, the Landry supporters here usually register for IntenseDebate accounts or WordPress screen-names as we encourage all commenters to do.
And because they do, their posts are less likely to be flagged for deletion or their IP's banned.
One thing that I think that is missing in this whole debate was turnout in the last election. Hunt could have possibly gotten more votes if the weather was better in the eastern part of the district. If you recall, the western part where Jeff's from was sunny while from Houma/Morgan City east it pretty much rained all day possibly lowering turnout in areas that could favor Downer more in a very small election.
Also, you have a bigger ballot that could draw more voters in all areas with School Board, City Elections, and Lt. Gov. race. All these wild cards show is that anything is possible on Oct. 2.
BTW, I would find it interesting how many people in the confusion of the last election would have sought to change parties in time for the run-off.
One thing that I think that is missing in this whole debate was turnout in the last election. Hunt could have possibly gotten more votes if the weather was better in the eastern part of the district. If you recall, the western part where Jeff's from was sunny while from Houma/Morgan City east it pretty much rained all day possibly lowering turnout in areas that could favor Downer more in a very small election.
Also, you have a bigger ballot that could draw more voters in all areas with School Board, City Elections, and Lt. Gov. race. All these wild cards show is that anything is possible on Oct. 2.
BTW, I would find it interesting how many people in the confusion of the last election would have sought to change parties in time for the run-off.
All of that is fine, but it doesn't change the fact that Downer lost every parish east of Terrebonne (and every parish west of Terrebonne as well) in the primary.
Looks like there's an answer for everything with the anti-Landry crowd. Spin, spin, spin…………………………Keep up the great work Boe, Downer, et al………….
All of that is fine, but it doesn't change the fact that Downer lost every parish east of Terrebonne (and every parish west of Terrebonne as well) in the primary.
Looks like there's an answer for everything with the anti-Landry crowd. Spin, spin, spin…………………………Keep up the great work Boe, Downer, et al………….