Voters in Louisiana are known for their high tolerance of political and personal scandal, going back at least to the days of Huey Long, but the re-election of admitted prostitute client Sen. David "Diapers" Vitter in 2010 by those wise voters was one for the books (as a client of the "D.C. Madam," Vitter was reportedly fond of wearing diapers during some of his sexcapades). It was also revealed at the same time that he was visiting prostitutes in New Orleans.
Now, Diapers is in a very rough general election fight for Governor with Dem State Rep. John Bel Edwards, who has been very aggressive in reminding voters of the scandal and that Diapers was M.I.A. with a prostitute during a vote honoring veterans in one of the hardest-hitting ads of any political season. Edwards, an Army veteran himself, has been endorsed by several Republicans in Louisiana, including Republican Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne, as well as the Louisiana Sheriff's Association. In a story that's been developing in the past couple of days, Diapers has also been accused by a former New Orleans prostitute of impregnating her and urging her to get an abortion (she bore the child and put it up for adoption). Louisiana law enforcement is also looking into a private investigator working for Diapers who was trying to coerce the prostitute and a reporter on the story against further publicizing the affair.
Polls are indicating that the accumulation of scandals have taken a toll: Edwards leads Diapers by a healthy, double-digit margin. But, as we know, polls aren't votes, particularly when it comes to Dems actually turning out to vote (Louisiana votes on November 21), so if the DNC isn't working to get out the vote, Diapers might slip by again.
(image: "Can somebody change me?")
