INDReporter

David Vitter robocalling for Simone Champagne

by Nathan Stubbs

U.S. Sen. David Vitter has recorded robocall messages on behalf of state Rep. Simone Champagne's campaign for District 22 state Senate.

U.S. Sen. David Vitter has recorded robocall messages on behalf of state Rep. Simone Champagne's campaign for District 22 state Senate. Two separate messages from Vitter recently went out to voters in St. Martin and Iberia parishes. The most recent one begins: "Hi, this is Senator David Vitter calling to ask you to join me in supporting Simone Champagne for state senate. Simone Champagne is a conservative we can trust to cut wasteful spending and create jobs. Election day is this Saturday, Jan. 22nd, and I hope you'll join me in supporting a true conservative, Simone Champagne, for state senate."

That message - obviously intended for this week - went out following a previous robocall from Vitter urging supporters to vote for Champagne during early voting. In that message, Vitter relayed: "I've seen Simone Champagne stand up to the politicians in Baton Rouge and she stood with me to oppose Barack Obama's job-killing moratorium and reckless health care takeover."

It's not often that a U.S. senator gets involved in a state Senate race, especially one that involves three other Republican candidates. Sources in the district say that Vitter has heard from some of his supporters unhappy about the endorsement. Many also speculate Vitter may be trying to deliver some personal payback to the frontrunner in the race, state Rep. Fred Mills. Unlike Champagne, Mills did not support a Vitter-backed state bill for closed primary elections. A former Democrat, Mills also is said to have taken some potshots at Vitter at a Democratic Party function earlier this year.