Louisiana journalists, politicos and desperate Democrats have done little for the past month other than talk about the big “what if?” What if former Sen. John Breaux returns to Louisiana to run for governor? For many Louisiana Democrats, Breaux represents the potential white male knight in shining armor who will return home and defeat the man who has become their No. 1 villain, Congressman Bobby Jindal. While Breaux’s name has continually popped up since Blanco’s poll numbers began their sharp decline, conventional wisdom was that Breaux would never leave his high-paying lobbying job to return to Louisiana and deal with the problems of post-Katrina Louisiana. However, conventional wisdom began to change following this year’s Washington, D.C., Mardi Gras Ball. Even after Breaux held a fundraiser for Blanco the week of the ball, he was reportedly running his mouth to many that he had a sincere interest in being the next governor of Louisiana. Perhaps this year’s “Wizard of Oz” ball theme got him thinking that there is no place like home. Anyone who has kept their head above ground during the past two years can tell you Gov. Kathleen Blanco’s road to re-election is anything but a yellow brick road. In fact, according to multiple polls, Blanco trails Jindal by 20 or more points. Conventional wisdom also believes Breaux would fair much better than Blanco and perhaps even become the instant front-runner who would ride his white horse smoothly into the governor’s office. As Lee Corso said, “not so fast my friend.” Breaux has real issues and weaknesses of his own. Chief among them is his choice to abandon Louisiana for Maryland shortly after hurricanes Katrina and Rita left the state reeling. After representing Louisiana in Congress for 30 years, Breaux retired in 2004 and took a job as senior counsel with Patton Boggs, a powerful Washington, D.C., law and lobbying firm. Admittedly, this is par for the course. Several other retired Louisiana members of congress now hold similar positions in Washington D.C. Breaux, however, differed in that he transferred his voter registration and driver’s license to his new home in Maryland. Breaux wrote about the experience of changing his driver’s license earlier this year in the Hill, a weekly Capitol Hill publication. “Like when I went to get my first driver’s license outside Louisiana,” Breaux wrote. “And the clerk cut up my old Louisiana license into a hundred little pieces, and I hollered with indignation, ‘You cannot do that. I want to keep my Louisiana license. I’m Sen. John Breaux!’ And she looked at me and replied, ‘Not anymore you’re not.'” Breaux isn’t the Senator from Louisiana any longer; he is not even a resident. The Louisiana Constitution provides that a gubernatorial candidate must be a citizen of the state for the preceding five years. Breaux’s only current ties to the state are two vacant lots in Crowley that he inherited and pays property taxes on. According to most legal experts, Louisiana courts are unlikely to prevent Breaux from running. While lawyers and political partisans can argue over the meaning of “citizen,” most normal Louisiana voters are unlikely to believe you are still a citizen of the state when you vote and live elsewhere. Despite his citizenship issues, there are concerns that his dealings in Congress help land his son lobbying gigs. The concerns first came to light when raised by the Los Angeles Times several years ago. According to theDeadPelican.com, the LA GOP is preparing a laundry list of these documented allegations to have ready in case Breaux does enter the race. Breaux has proven to be a masterful politician who could likely overcome almost any political barrier. But there is one that he simply cannot escape – he is part of the problem. How can he be a solution? Breaux cut his teeth in politics as an aide to former governor, now convict Edwin Edwards. For 30 years Breaux was an integral cog in the Louisiana political machine that ran the state into the ground before Katrina and Rita ever reached our coastline. Since the days of reconstruction, Breaux’s Democratic party has had a death grip over the state. With the exception of former Gov. Dave Treen, the few Republican governors of our state only became Republicans for the electoral advantage. Nevertheless, even they maintained their roots and allegiances to the Louisiana political machine. Breaux and friends have had their chance for more than a century. It is time for real change, someone who will lead Louisiana out of the doldrums. Now is not the time for a blast from the past for Louisiana.
—–Contact Jason Dore’ at [email protected]