Vitter Losing One Battle, Winning Another

By Hastings Wyman
Southren Political Report

(7/16/07) US Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) has created a firestorm of public outrage -- fueled by talk radio -- with revelations that he used the services of prostitutes in Washington, DC, and in New Orleans. But despite the calls for his resignation, based in large part on charges that the socially conservative Republican is a hypocrite, he is likely to remain in office, with GOP leaders rallying around him to prevent Gov. Kathleen Blanco (D-LA) from naming a Democrat as his successor.

The public reaction to the once popular lawmaker -- his approval rating last November was 66% -- has been harsh. “He’s now getting blasted on the radio talk shows for disappearing” from public view, says one insider (R). “The other thing is the hypocrite part. These [allegations] are not new.” When such reports came up in his 2004 Senate campaign, “he denied them all, and they’re playing tapes of those denials on the radio.” And Times-Picayune columnist Stephanie Grace, reflecting widespread views, noted that Vitter, 46, recently signed a letter to his fellow senators that endorsed “saving sex until marriage and remaining faithful afterwards,” a stance in no way consistent with his personal behavior.

“It just seems like each day gets worse [for Vitter],” says a political consultant (D). “One day, the madam; the next, the hooker. And he’s spent his entire career being the darling of the Christian Right. I don’t know how he survives it.”

Louisiana Democrats have launched an on-line petition drive to get Vitter to resign, but despite the media storm surrounding him, the senator is unlikely to leave his post. Most of the state’s GOP leaders -- including US Reps. Jim McCrery and Rodney Alexander, and former Gov. David Treen -- are discouraging talk that Vitter should resign. So is the Rev. Billy McCormack, head of the state’s Christian Coalition. All are well aware that should Vitter resign, Gov. Kathleen Blanco (D) would appoint a Democrat to replace him, strengthening the Democrats’ shaky 51-49 US Senate majority. And according to one report, state Republican chairman Roger Villere, while declining to make a public comment about Vitter until he has spoken with him, emailed GOP central committee members that Vitter “deserves our forgiveness” and making clear that the idea of Vitter resigning “is not under consideration, period.”

While several other GOPers have called for Vitter’s resignation, they are not influential in party circles. If Vitter weathers the current crisis, he could very well get it behind him by the time he comes up for re-election in 2010.

While Vitter’s actions have been compared to those of former Gov. Edwin Edwards (D-LA), noted for his notorious personal behavior, Edwards created a bad-boy image that amused the voters, once famously remarking that he could get re-elected unless he got “caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy.” Vitter, however, has a reputation for being an ultra-serious conservative and “can’t get away with Edwards’ bravado,” says one GOPer.

Moreover, Vitter “doesn’t have great residual support in the political community,” continues this source (R). “He’s pretty much a loner.” In the legislature, he was known for an unbending posture, willing to get his colleagues in hot-water for his beliefs and/or political benefit. At one point, he exposed his fellow legislators -- including those in his own party -- who were giving state-funded scholarships to family members. He also kept the legislators’ feet to the fire to get term-limits adopted, which -- while popular with the public -- did not go over so well with incumbents of either party. Nevertheless, adds this GOP source, no Republican politicians are currently “jumping on him and kicking him… the public is kicking him.”

There is some speculation, especially among Democrats, that the Vitter scandal could spill over into this fall’s governor’s race, where US Rep. Bobby Jindal (R) is at this point a heavy favorite. “Bobby Jindal and David Vitter are very, very close,” notes the consultant (D). “There is a connection, but whether voters make it remains to be seen.” He adds, “Between Bush’s unpopularity on the war, and now this, you could shave a couple of points off Jindal, especially among independent voters, and force a runoff. And then all bets are off.”