The mid-term elections are today. Democrats are trying to hold on to their House and Senate majorities in Washington, DC while Republicans are counting on a "red wave" to return the gavels to them.
In Louisiana, incumbents in both parties are expected to win, but if there is an upset, political analyst Clancy DuBos says it could happen in the Third Congressional District, where Republican incumbent Clay Higgins is running for reelection. DuBos says even some Republicans say Higgins, the so-called "Cajun John Wayne," is all hat, no cattle.
"He's good at getting himself on Twitter and Fox News and in the paper for doing outrageous things, but he hasn't delivered for that district in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura," said DuBos.
That's why Higgins has drawn opposition from another Republican, Holden Hoggat.
"He has a Republican state prosecutor running against him who stands for all the things Higgins says he stands for," DuBos said, "but he promises not to do 'performative politics,' but to try to be more effective."
There are also local races and ballot propositions, from state constitutional amendments to a charter change amendment in New Orleans that has, like so many other issued, set Mayor LaToya Cantrell at odds with the city council.
"It requires that the city council approves the mayor's appointees to department heads," DuBos explained. "Things like police chief, fire chief, safety and permits director."
It acts in a manner similar to how the U.S. Senate votes to confirm presidential nominees.
"It would give not only the council, but the public a chance to see these nominees' or these appointees; resumes, and to comment on them and to vet them," said DuBos.
All current department heads would be grandfathered in, but going forward, there would be public hearings.
"It's going to impact future mayors a lot more than Mayor Cantrell," DuBos said.
