Voters want to drain the swamp? They can start with Louisiana GOP

An underdog, populist cattle farmer abandoned by the national Democratic Party needs your help — and he needs it immediately.

{mosads}On Saturday, Louisianans will choose their next U.S. senator. The prohibitive favorite is John Neely Kennedy, the state treasurer. Kennedy has received big bucks from national Republicans and, on Friday, even Donald Trump will arrive in the Pelican State to cheer him to victory. 

Foster Campbell, on the other hand, is relying upon millions of dollars in donations from small donors in Louisiana and across the country. So far, the national Democratic apparatus has shamefully failed to support him in a substantial way.

I don’t know Kennedy. I can’t speak for him as a man. But by all appearances, he is an opportunistic flip-flopper. In 2004, he endorsed John Kerry; in 2016, Trump. His policy positions have been all over the place.

Campbell, on the other hand, has proudly declared he is a Democrat because the Democratic Party has, historically at least, been the party of working people. He is conservative on some issues, but on many others, he is progressive. He has been consistently consistent on the issues. 

Take climate change. Louisiana needs a senator who admits the climate is changing — and man is driving that change. Much of the southeastern part of this state is projected to be underwater by 2100, if not much sooner. New Orleans, by some accounts, will be besieged by the Gulf of Mexico, protected only by levees. 

Campbell has promised to use his vote — and voice — to fight climate change, protect Medicare, and battle every day for everyday folks. 

Sure, he’s a long shot. But he has a shot, polls be damned. How many of the pundits declaring this race over are on the ground in Louisiana? 

There is no political Nostradamus this year. Nate Silver is not God. And Foster Campbell can win. 

Where are you, Chuck Schumer? Send money. Rickey Smiley and Charlamagne Tha God, if you’re reading this, I know Foster would love to be on your shows. Black turnout during early voting was lower than it needs to be for him to win. 

The great thing about Foster Campbell is that if he pulls off a “stunning upset” — how many times has 2016 birthed that headline — he will be beholden to no one. He has no puppet master. 

If you are in Louisiana, vote this Saturday. If you know someone in Louisiana, hound them until they vote. Most importantly, if you don’t live here, donate to Foster’s campaign right now. 

Urgent: Louisiana, vote in 12/10 #lasen runoff for @CampbellforLa, a populist underdog cattle farmer Democrat who will fight for the people.

— Jonathan Walczak (@jonwalczak) December 7, 2016

It’s not just Democrats who should support Foster; Republicans and independents should, too. Foster is a shotgun-toting cattle farmer who speaks his mind.

Who do you think will really stand up for you: Foster, or the man who went from loving John Kerry to loving Donald Trump so he could conveniently ride a red wave to the Senate? 

This John Kennedy is no John Kennedy, and there’s no better place to start draining the swamp than Louisiana.

Jonathan Walczak is a New Orleans-based journalist. Follow him at @jonwalczak. 

The views expressed by Contributors are their own and are not the views of The Hill.