Looks like Senator Mary Landrieu (D. LA) is getting some help from a colleague of her's:
http://politics.heraldtribune.com/...
Nelson, a Democrat, is trying to appeal to his own campaign donors to give to other Democratic Senators who face tough re-election campaigns.
This past weekend, Nelson launched an appeal for Louisiana Democrat Mary Landrieu.
“We need to keep Mary Landrieu in the Senate -- and that means we need to support her, right now,” Nelson says in an email push for donations.
Nelson specifically points to Landrieu being a key ally in fighting to make sure BP paid up after the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010.
“Mary and I worked together with our colleagues to pass the RESTORE Act, which allocates billions of dollars from oil spill fines directly to the people of the Gulf Coast region -- including Florida and Louisiana, two of the hardest hit states,” Nelson says in the letter. - Herald-Tribune, 4/1/13
Here's the letter Nelson sent to his supporters:
Friend,
It seems like last fall's mean-spirited elections are finally behind us. But already extremists are emerging to go after some of our more common-sense senators who face re-election next year -- including my good friend, Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana.
Senator Landrieu has faced tough races before, but with our help this time -- and the continued support of the people of Louisiana -- I am convinced that she will win again.
It's not going to be easy. We must help get her campaign off to a strong start, to building up enough resources to fight back against the early attacks she is sure to face in the months to come.
Mary's re-election campaign needs to hit the ground running, so I hope you'll join me in supporting her today:
https://secure.actblue.com/...
Please contribute to Mary Landrieu's campaign today -- so she can continue being a strong voice for Louisiana in the U.S. Senate!
Mary has been a tremendous partner as we work to ensure that the people of the Gulf Coast states are adequately compensated from the BP oil spill of 2010.
Mary and I worked together with our colleagues to pass the RESTORE Act, which allocates billions of dollars from oil spill fines directly to the people of the Gulf Coast region -- including Florida and Louisiana, two of the hardest hit states. Mary's strong and determined leadership on this issue was crucial to get this unprecedented idea passed.
And Mary believes, as I do, that we must find a balanced approach to reduce our national debt -- which means closing tax loopholes and asking millionaires and billionaires to pay at least the same tax rates as their secretaries, not by slashing Social Security and Medicare.
But Mary needs all the help we can give her to get her campaign off to a strong start -- so she can keep fighting for Louisiana, and all Americans, in the U.S. Senate.
Help keep Mary Landrieu's voice in the Senate: Please contribute to her campaign today!
The Louisiana Senate race will be one of the toughest campaigns of 2014, so there's no time to waste.
We need to keep Mary Landrieu in the Senate -- and that means we need to support her, right now.
https://secure.actblue.com/...
Thanks so much for your help.
Sincerely,
Bill Nelson
Landrieu is one of the top incumbents Republicans are hoping to unseat in 2014 and one of her potential opponents has been raising a lot of money:
http://www.nationaljournal.com/...
Rep. Bill Cassidy, R-La., will report raising more than $500,000 in the first quarter of 2013, as he continues to mull a bid against Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu next year, according to a release from his campaign. Spokesperson John Cummins declined to release a specific number, citing additional receipts the campaign expects to come in ahead of the April 15 deadline to file with the Federal Election Commission.
"Raising over $500,000 in the first quarter puts my campaign in an extremely strong position," Cassidy said in the release, though he did not specify what he is now in a "strong position" to do. A decision about whether Cassidy will run against Landrieu is still forthcoming, Cummins said.
Landrieu, a three-term incumbent, won both of her reelection campaigns with just 52 percent of the vote, despite the advantage of far out-raising her opponents in the last two cycles -- bringing in more than twice what then-Treasurer John Kennedy was able to raise in 2008, for example. But that may not be the case this time around. Landrieu lead Cassidy by just $500,000 cash-on-hand at the end of 2012, despite bringing in more than three times what she raised during the same period of the 2008 cycle. Landrieu entered 2013 with just over $2.5 million in the bank, while Cassidy's House account topped the $2-million mark. - National Journal, 4/1/13
But Landrieu isn't afraid of a tough race or even willing to make some tough votes before she faces the voters again in 2014:
http://www.politico.com/...
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.”
But Landrieu — who is serving her third term after being reelected in 2008 with 52 percent of the vote, the same percentage as in 2002 — is confident she’s figured out the right formula. Landrieu says voting on principle is more important than changing her positions to avoid campaign attack ads.
In a move that could produce such ads, Landrieu hasn’t ruled out supporting some gun-control measures. And she hasn’t closed the door on backing gay marriage should it come to a vote in the Senate.
And the last thing she’s worried about is having Republicans attack her for supporting Obamacare.
“I am proud of my support for the Affordable Care Act, whether my opponents want to call it ACA or Obamacare, I voted for it. I’m glad I voted for it,” Landrieu said. - Politico, 3/29/13
I may not agree with Landrieu on all her votes but I respect both her confidence and her willingness to make tough votes like the Affordable Health Care Act and making BP pay for their mess. Hopefully she'll come out for marriage equality and universal background checks. If you want to contribute to Landrieu's re-election campaign, you can do so here:
https://secure.actblue.com/...