With the midterm elections just weeks away, Louisiana’s likely frontrunners in this year’s U.S. Senate race – Republican Senator John Kennedy and former Navy fighter pilot Luke Mixon, a moderate Democrat – released television ads Tuesday seeking to gain more supporters in the Nov. 8 election.
As Republicans battle for control of the U.S. Senate, Kennedy released an ad touting his voting record, which he says includes bills to cut taxes, “secure the border” and “stand up to China.”
While Kennedy is the presumptive favorite and has the backing of former President Donald Trump, 12 other candidates are hoping to unseat the incumbent in a closely watched race.
Among them is Mixon, a Louisiana native who is backed by fellow Democrat and Governor John Bel Edwards. On Tuesday, Mixon released his first television ad – a six-figure expenditure, according to his campaign. In it, Mixon talks about his background as a fighter pilot who graduated from TOPGUN and says he spent 20 years “fighting extremism around the world.”
Mixon has repeatedly criticized Kennedy for his opposition to abortion and for being among the Republicans who refused to endorse the results of the 2020 election, in which Joe Biden defeated Trump to become president.
Notably, Mixon says in the ad that if elected, he would vote to codify the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide and was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court this summer. Louisiana has an almost complete ban on abortion. The only exceptions are cases where there is a significant risk of death or deterioration of the patient’s health if they continue the pregnancy, and in the case of a “medically futile” pregnancy – when the fetus has fatal abnormalities. There are no exceptions for rape or incest.
Other Democratic candidates in the race include activist Gary Chambers Jr. who gained national attention earlier this year with an online video ad showing him smoking marijuana while denouncing racial disparities in drug arrests, and Sirita Stabe, who helps formerly incarcerated women re-enter society.
But challengers face a tough fight against Kennedy in a state where GOP candidates have dominated statewide elections. In addition, Kennedy has a growing war chest, last reporting $15.8 million in campaign funds. According to the latest Federal Election Commission reports, Mixon has almost $600,000 on hand.
The election could take place on November 8, as the state has a unique jungle primary system – if a candidate receives a majority of votes, more than 50%, he or she wins the election. If no candidate reaches this threshold, the top two, regardless of their party affiliation, advance to a runoff in December.