While they face tough odds to take control of the Senate next year, Republicans will no doubt set their sights on Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and she’s giving them plenty of ammunition to use in what could be an expensive, heated campaign.
In an interview with Politico, Landrieu stood behind her record and even suggested that she could support President Barack Obama’s gun control proposals, which will come before the Senate next month:
The Louisianian confidently voted last week for the Democratic budget with its $1 trillion in tax hikes. She was one of only 20 Democrats who favored keeping the medical device tax, an element of Obamacare that some Democrats have worked to abolish. Along with other Democrats, she backed a handful of amendments opposed by senators from conservative states restricting health care for immigrants and politically charged language to curb a cellphone assistance program.“I do not scare easily,” Landrieu told POLITICO. “I think it’s in my DNA. I come from a family that feels very passionately and very strongly about public service and about trying to always find a balance and keep our eyes focused on representing the people and not getting too caught up in the politics of the day.”“I’m not saying I’m fearless, and I certainly try not to be reckless,” she added. “I can be very forward when I feel strongly about it, and I think the [Paul] Ryan budget and the [Gov. Bobby] Jindal type rhetoric is very damaging to the future economic growth of our country and the middle-class families.”
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“I don’t have any hesitation voting for the budget,” Landrieu said. “The [Patty] Murray budget is very balanced and calls for revenues by closing — there weren’t real specifics — but the idea is to close tax loopholes and to find additional revenues to come in through the federal government.”
This is essentially a dare for Republicans to come after her, but it doesn’t seem like a smart move. While Landrieu has been successful in a traditionally red state, that may not keep up, especially if she continues to advertise her tax-and-spend ways.
It’s true that she did vote for Keystone XL, but she also voted for a budget that isperpetually out of balance and would raise taxes by nearly $1 trillion. She also voted against repealing ObamaCare and its medical device tax, and she voted in favor of an Internet sales tax and against repeal of the death tax.
Landrieu also voted against raising the threshold to pass new gun control measures andvoted against keeping the United States out of the controversial, anti-gun United Nations Arm Trade Treaty. She went went as far as voting to keep the White House closed to tourists.
Flaunting an anti-taxpayer record so boldy like she did in Politico is to her own detriment. She’s never taken more than 52% of the vote in any of her races and the atmosphere in 2014, as President Obama’s approval rating falls, could be as unwelcoming for vulnerable Democrats as it was in the 2010 mid-terms. Landrieu has made her own bed. Now she’s got to sleep in it.
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