Senate Democrats are reportedly recruiting former Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards to run for U. S. Senate next year.
According to a New York Times report, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) met with Edwards about launching a campaign. Edwards told Schumer to "circle back to him in August," eight months before the closed party primary elections for the seat currently held by Senator Bill Cassidy.
Will Edwards jump into the race for the Democratic Party nomination? One analyst says: not likely.
"He is no longer the incumbent governor, and when you are no longer the incumbent governor, some of your power (or) proverbial mojo is no longer there," JNC Analytics pollster John Couvillon said.
While Edwards may be the only Democrat of statewide stature, Couvillon says the former governor would fight an uphill battle in a Senate race. That's because, Couvillon says, Louisiana voters have moved to farther to the right, and Edwards won't be able to distance himself from national Democrats.
"He's going to get tied in with Chuck Schumer and (former Vice President) Kamala Harris and (New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez), and that's going to be a weight he's going to have on his shoulders," Couvillon said. "This is going to be a national, not a state, election, which means it's going to be held on national issues at which the Democratic Party in our state is at a serious disadvantage."
Couvillon says Edwards very well could sit out this race and other future campaigns, including the 2027 gubernatorial race.
"He's in no hurry to make any kind of decision," Couvillon said. "The way I look at former Governor Edwards's position right now is that he's had a good almost eight years in the state House and eight years as Governor, and he's probably in the mood to enjoy life and grandchildren and so forth."
The closed party primaries for the Senate race is set for next April.