It’s not unheard of to have a self-financed candidate in a major Louisiana campaign. But to see seven statewide candidates, including one incumbent and a regional officeholder, dipping into their own pockets during the same reporting period is somewhat unusual.
Coming off of an aggressive U.S. Senate race last year and having to compete with hundreds of other races this cycle has clearly taken its toll. Mix in super PACs, which are political action committees that can raise unlimited amounts of money, and special interests that are playing in the elections and you start to understand why cash has been so hard to come by.
In all, statewide candidates for office in Louisiana loaned themselves more than $1.3 million during the most recently completed fundraising quarter.
In the race for governor, Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle loaned his campaign $122,000 last month and took out a $253,000 loan with FM Bank in Breaux Bridge. The Republican’s campaign would not have reached $1 million in cash on hand at the end of the most recent quarter without the loans.
For lieutenant governor, former Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser loaned his campaign $500,000 in July. How long it will stay in the account is a good question. Nungesser loaned his campaign $900,000 on Dec. 31, just in time to bolster his first annual report. He repaid it in full on Jan. 6.
Three of the candidates for attorney general, including the incumbent, dug into their own pockets. GOP Attorney General Buddy Caldwell put up $200,000. Former Congressman Jeff Landry of New Iberia topped that with a $250,000 July loan and West Baton Rouge Parish prosecutor Marty Maley inserted $3,000 into his campaign.
In the secretary of state's race, challenger and law professor Chris Tyson of Baton Rouge loaned himself $10,000. Matt Parker of Monroe, who is running for insurance commissioner, also took out a $1,200 loan for his campaign.