Her story of tragedy and victory is among the most incredible sagas in state politics. Now, Julia Letlow could be the fourth woman to hold one of the state’s U.S. Senate seats, and the second, along with Mary Landrieu, to get there at first by winning at the polls. (This past weekend, voting decided that Letlow and John Fleming will enter into a runoff next month for the seat previously held by Bill Cassidy.) The other two women to hold the position were appointed by the reigning governor to fill an interim position. The first was Blanche Long, who was appointed to the job by Governor O.K. Allen after her husband, Huey, was assassinated in 1935. And then there was Elaine Edwards, who was selected by her husband the governor, Edwin Edwards, after the death of longtime Senator Allen Ellender. (She served the shortest time, from Aug. 1, 1972 to Nov. 13 of that year.) Protocol usually has it that an interim appointee does not go ahead and seek election. Edwin Edwards (always a quipster) said he appointed his wife because he knew she was the only person that he could trust not to run for a full term.
A funeral is also a factor in the heartbreaking story of the rise of Julia Letlow. In 2020, her husband, Luke Letlow, was elected to congress from the Monroe area. Shortly after, the congressman-elect died from COVID-19 before he even had a chance to be sworn in. Unlike in the Senate where vacancies are filled by gubernatorial appointments; congressional opening for the two-year term are filled by special elections. Julia Letlow won and has been re-elected twice.
Mary Landrieu was first elected in 1996 and served three terms before being defeated by Bill Cassidy in 2014. Now Cassidy can feel the pain of what it is like to be an incumbent stung by a challenger. Cassidy has had success by associating opponents with liberalism. Six years ago, at every debate opportunity, he linked Landrieu’s voting record to President Barack Obama. This time, the name Letlow has good alliteration with the word liberal, especially in trying to connect her with DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) initiatives, Cassidy repeated the phrase “liberal Letlow.” Ironically, Cassidy’s defeat is not because of a liberal, but the ultimate MAGA Republican, Donald Trump. When Cassidy was one of seven Republicans to vote in favor of impeaching Trump that totally angered the President. If Cassidy voted that way out of conscience that is commendable and should be respected. If he voted that way for a political reason, it was bad politics and has been his undoing.
As the story goes, it was Trump who phoned Letlow and urged her to run for the Senate with his full backing. The President has been fascinated with her. When she got engaged to a Baton Rouge lawyer, it was Trump who made the announcement at a White House Christmas party.
Trump’s backing also made Cassidy’s “liberal Letlow” label a whole lot less convincing to voters.
In the end, Saturday’s election had yet another novelty. It was the first Louisiana election in which the biggest winner lives in the White House.
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To contact Errol, email elabordenola@gmail.com!
BOOK ANNOUNCEMENTS: Errol’s Laborde’s new book, “When Rex Met Zulu: And Other Chronicles of the New Orleans Experience,” (Pelican Publishing Company, 2024) is now available at local bookstores and websites.
Laborde’s other recent publications: “New Orleans: The First 300 Years” and “Mardi Gras: Chronicles of the New Orleans Carnival” (Pelican Publishing Company, 2017 and 2013), are available at the same locations.
