A recent poll conducted in the race to replace Charles Boustany as Louisiana’s representative from the 3rd Congressional District is probably more indicative of name recognition at this early juncture. The Republican public service commissioner and erstwhile gubernatorial candidate leads the Trafalgar Group poll with 39 percent. Clay Higgins, the former St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s deputy who shot to viral fame some months ago through a series of CrimeStoppers videos, is second in the poll with 18 percent support.
Rounding out the poll were retired Army Lt. Col Greg Ellison with 8 percent and former Calcasieu Parish state Rep. Brett Geymann with 5 percent. No other candidates received more than 3 percent.
IND politics columnist Pearson Cross tells a local radio station that the poll results, especially for Higgins, likely are a greater reflection of name recognition than outright support for the candidates: “Clay Higgins is benefiting by the publicity that he’s had. His name recognition is probably higher than anyone except Scott Angelle,” Cross tells KPEL. “In an early poll like this, name recognition is everything.”