It’s a seat once held by Minority Whip Steve Scalise.
A solid Republican district, the 82nd District House seat has become a battle-royal between two conservatives who share more in common than in conflict.
And in the last few weeks before the runoff April 24, the heat is getting ratcheted up as the two candidates, Eddie Connick and Laurie Schlegel, are duking it out in good ol’fashioned mailers.
According to the Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate, the salvos fired when Schlegel took issue with Connick’s pedigree as a member of powerful political family.
Schlegel’s mailer stated: "Jefferson Parish can't afford another Connick," and called Connick a fighter for the same-old political machine.
In response, Connick’s mailer described Schlegel as a social worker (she’s actually a licensed professional counselor) and stated to effect that sending a social worker to the legislature would be like “washing money down the drain.”
To push themselves over the top has meant mailers and getting out in the neighborhoods to win votes. "Pretty much every day, I'm knocking on doors," Schlegel told the paper. "I really haven't stopped," She said.
"I've walked more this time around than in the general," Connick replies.
Going into the last days before the election, Connick holds a huge lead in available campaign funds.
And he also garnered the endorsement of Raymond Delaney, the lone Democrat from the primary.
"He and I really hit it off," Connick was quoted by the TP/NOA. "I was able to understand what was important to him."
Schlegel, whose husband is a judge, says "I have really good relationships with elected officials," she told the paper. "I know if I'm elected, I am going to be able to work with them."