INDReporter

Downer, Melancon may stay on sidelines

by Leslie Turk

Jeff Landry came one step closer Saturday to potentially clinching the 3rd Congressional District as he bested Hunt Downer by a practically two-to-one margin in the Republican primary runoff. And at least at this point, it appears that both Downer and the man Landry hopes to replace, U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon, plan to stay on the sidelines.

Jeff Landry came one step closer Saturday to potentially clinching the 3rd Congressional District as he bested Hunt Downer by a practically two-to-one margin in the Republican primary runoff.

Landry pulled in about 65 percent of the electorate to Downer's 35 percent. The two feuding attorneys produced a vitriolic race over the course of several weeks that were filled with negative campaign commercials, personal smears and scathing mailers, but only Landry, also a small businessman from New Iberia, will advanced to the Nov. 2 general election ballot.

He'll face off against Houma attorney Ravi Sangisetty, the unchallenged Democrat who has $247,000 in the bank, based on figures available from the Federal Election Commission, and it's a donor's stone throw away from Landry's $211,000.

Downer this weekend said he'll "stay involved in and informed about" the race but stopped short of issuing any kind of endorsement. "I'll always want to be involved in government and find ways to help build a better Louisiana," Downer said. "I also hope the citizens of this district remember how important it is to get involved and vote."

Outgoing U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-Napoleonville, is stepping down to make a bid for the U.S. Senate in November. Melancon will also be taking the same stance as Downer. He said in an interview that he would be voting in the 3rd Congressional District contest and keeping a close eye on those running, but due to his campaign against incumbent Sen. David Vitter, a Metairie Republican, he wouldn't be endorsing a candidate. "I've got my own race to worry about," Melancon said.