Louisiana's two U. S. senators -- John Breaux (left) and Mary Landrieu (right) of New Orleans -- during a news conference Oct. 10 during which the they endorsed the candidacy of Kathleen Blanco of Lafayette (center) for governor of Louisiana. (AP Photo)

By Mike Hasten

mhasten@lafayette.gannett.com

BATON ROUGE - U.S. Sen. John Breaux's political ads promoting the candidacy of fellow Democrat Kathleen Blanco of Lafayette could provide the impetus to put her in the governor's mansion.

That's the opinion of two political observers who have studied the campaign and polls that show the race as too close to call.

"My sense is that it's a dead heat right now," said political science professor Pearson Cross of the University of Louisiana at Monroe. "In a race this tight, if 1 percent to 2 percent of the undecided vote on the basis of John Breaux's recommendation, that could be the election."

Pollster Verne Kennedy of Pensacola, Fla., who's tracking public opinion in the race to be decided Nov. 15, agrees that Breaux's support is important to Blanco's campaign. "He's probably the most popular statewide official in Louisiana.

"Endorsements always help, but they typically help less than some politicians think," Kennedy said. "It can influence up to 3 percent of voters, which, in this case, would be significant."

Cross said it's interesting that Blanco's campaign is playing up the endorsement of Breaux but not that of U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, who publicly endorsed Blanco at the same press conference during which Breaux's endorsement was announced.

"Mary Landrieu's recommendation might not carry the same weight. In fact, it might have the opposite effect."

Breaux is viewed as conservative for a Democrat, but Landrieu is liberal, Cross said. "Liberals can't go anywhere else in this race," so the Blanco campaign doesn't have to go after that vote, he said. Ads by Landrieu could turn away some conservative Blanco supporters.

Blanco, after being endorsed by ambulance service providers and pharmacists, was asked Tuesday how she plans to sway more non-committed voters her way. "The governor's helped me a lot," she said, referring to comments by Gov. Mike Foster that angered some voters.

Foster said that if Blanco is elected, her husband would become "the most powerful man in the state" and would influence her decisions.

Blanco's speeches and ad campaign criticize Jindal's job performance as head of the state Department of Health and Hospitals and the University of Louisiana System. She emphasizes that he is young and inexperienced in government.

Jindal says his running two state agencies and having to deal with financial crises gives him an inside perspective on the job.

At the Blanco pep rally on the Capitol steps Tuesday, protesters who identified themselves as "from the Democratic Party" waved signs reading "Keep it clean, Kathleen" and "Stop the Mudslinging."

Asked about negative campaign, she said, "The only one who's gone with public campaigning negatively is the third party in this campaign," she said, referring to Foster.

"Mr. Jindal has an ad saying I have gone negative. I have not run a single television ad accusing him of anything negative at this point in time," she said.

"But it's naive to talk 'let's not go negative' when you have other voices beating up on the other candidate," Blanco said. "I say let's stop the third-party attacks and we can have a nice civil campaign."

Jindal said he has asked the governor to stay out of the campaign but has not been successful.

"People want to be committed to a candidate, so the air has been clarified now," Blanco said. "There was a lot of confusion in the primary, which certainly worked to my benefit. I won't deny that."