Breaking from WWL…
Governor Kathleen Blanco has requested television time tonight for a gubernatorial address that will be carried live on Eyewitness News at 6 p.m. Sources tell Eyewitness News that Blanco will announce she is not seeking re-election.
This would be good news in terms of the Dems chance to hold LA governorship. Blanco would not have been re-elected.
UPDATE: Michael says in the comments…“And that’s really too bad: Blanco is not a bad governor. She had some
bad luck, yes, and she got caught square in the sights of the GOP
attack machine.”
I don’t know what others would say but I agree with Michael and my feeling upon reading this news was sadness for her. I think Blanco is a good woman and I doubt any governor has ever faced what she has in Katrina and it’s aftermath.
UPDATE:She’s out…
BATON ROUGE — Beset by complaints about the state’s slow recovery from
the 2005 hurricanes, languishing in the polls and facing pressure from
her own party, Democratic Gov. Kathleen Blanco announced Tuesday that
she will not seek reelection this year.Blanco, the first woman to be elected governor of the state, made the
announcement in a televised address from the Governor’s Mansion shortly
after 6 p.m. Stepping away from the podium to hug family and friends,
she did not immediately take questions.SNIP
The stunning decision opens the door for former U.S. Sen. John Breaux,
who has flirted with getting into the race but told fellow Democrats he
would not run in the Oct. 20 primary unless Blanco decided to step
aside.SNIP
Breaux, who has worked as a lobbyist in Washington, D.C., since leaving
office in 2004, did not comment on his candicacy, but offered best
wishes for Blanco.