The Other Senator in Hot Water

While McCain's campaign meltdown continues apace, David Vitter (R-LA) also finds himself in trouble. In bed. Oops. His number appeared on those call logs recently released by a DC madam. On top of that, the proprietor of the House of the Rising Sun (or a similar establishment) also acknowledged that the Senator had frequented the place before he was elected in 2004. There were also apparently rumors back when he briefly sought the governor's mansion in 2003. For a party that's wallowing in scandal, I have to give Vitter credit for differentiating himself from the rest of the pack.

But the pressing question is whether or not he can survive. I originally thought so, based solely on the sordid nature of Louisiana politics; a friend of mine who's an astute observer of her home state's politics and an article in the Times-Picayune backed that up. But a more scientific argument for survival comes from Chris Cilizza:

First, he is not up for reelection until 2010. That means he has roughly two-and-a-half years to rehab his image before he has to face voters. Three years is a long time in politics, and while the issue seems like a silver bullet for Democrats (or a possible GOP challenger) now, it might not be so potent down the road.

Second, Louisiana is a state not unfamiliar with political scandal. The most prominent example was four-term Gov. Edwin Edwards (D), whose campaign slogan in his 1991 reelection race against former Ku Klux Klansman David Duke (R) was "Vote for the Crook, It's Important." Edwards won that race, only now he is incarcerated after being convicted in a racketeering case.

The sheer number of Louisiana politicians who have come under investigation from either state or federal authorities has, frankly, numbed the state's voters to scandal. A story like this could be absolutely devastating to Vitter in a notorious good government state like Wisconsin or Minnesota; in Louisiana, it might well pass for standard fare.

Third, the Louisiana Democratic Party is in dire straits. Their strongest candidate for governor this year -- state Sen. Walter Boasso -- was a Republican until a few months ago. Vitter's 2004 victory, coupled with Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco's (D) struggles in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, have created a power vacuum. Old hands like Breaux seem inclined to stay out of the fray as evidenced by his decision not to run for governor after Blanco stepped aside. A fresh face like former Rep. Chris John saw his image badly tarnished by the less-than-stellar Senate campaign he ran against Vitter in 2004. As the old saying goes, you don't beat something with nothing.

I especially like "Vote the Crook, It's Important." Every time I think Chicago has a lock on the depths of corruption (running a drug ring out of the city water plant, anyone?), something in Louisiana robs me of that delusion. With luck, Vitter will survive. If not, Cilizza's right: can the Democratic Party really get rid of him?