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Republican Rep. Bill Cassidy, R-La., easily defeated incumbent Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., in a runoff election in Louisiana on Saturday, adding to the GOP's already strong performance in the midterm elections last month.

With all precincts reporting, unofficial results from the Louisiana Secretary of State show Cassidy defeating Landrieu 56 percent to 44 percent.

Cassidy's victory in the runoff election gives Republicans a net pickup of nine seats and a 54 to 46 majority in the Senate beginning next month.

"This victory belongs to you," Cassidy told his supporters after the race was called. "The people of Louisiana voted for a government that serves us but does not tell us what to do."

A three-term congressman, Cassidy spent much of his campaign tying Landrieu to President Barack Obama, who is deeply unpopular in Louisiana.

Landrieu highlighted areas of opposition with the administration, including on the Keystone XL pipeline, but was unable to overcome the Republican wave.

The three-term Senator's fate was seemingly sealed when National Democratic groups stopped running ads, a move Landrieu decried as leaving "a soldier on the field."

Cassidy's victory means the Deep South will only be represented by Republican Senators when the new Congress is sworn in early next year.

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ken., who is expected to become Senate Majority Leader, released a statement congratulating Cassidy on his victory and welcoming him to the Senate Republican Conference.

McConnell noted that Cassidy was the sponsor of a House bill to authorize construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. The bill fell just short of approval in the Senate.

Continued here:
Republican Bill Cassidy Wins Louisiana Senate Runoff

WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, one of the last standing elected Deep South Democrats, lost her bid Saturday for re-election in Louisiana, further clinching Republicans dominance in the Senate following midterm elections last month.

Her loss to Republican rival Bill Cassidy in the runoff vote consolidates a conservative majority in the Southern state, in a region where political winds have shifted strongly in the Republicans favor in recent years.

The vote the last in the Senate contest and the only runoff comes after Democrats suffered a sweeping blow in Nov. 4 legislative elections, which saw energized Republicans reclaim the Senate majority and expand their control in the House of Representatives.

Republicans will hold 54 out of 100 seats in the Senate next year, nine more than they hold now.

Landrieu, who was elected in 1997, said she has no regrets and applauded the work of her party in dealing with various catastrophes, including several hurricanes that battered Louisiana during her tenure.

Tonight, we have so much to be proud of, a record of courage, honesty and integrity and delivering for the state when it mattered the most in some of our darkest hours after Katrina, Rita, Gustav, Ike, and the BP oil spill, she said in New Orleans after her defeat.

The joy has been in the fight, its been a blessing, its been a fight worth waging. Louisiana will always be worth fighting for.

According to final official tallies, Cassidy took about 56 percent of the ballot.

The Republican National Committee applauded Cassidys win, and congratulated voters for making the right decision.

Once again, voters have spoken clearly. They have rejected the Democrat agenda and the Obama-Clinton policies that have produced higher health care costs and job-killing regulations, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said in a statement, referring to President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton.

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Republican Cassidys win in U.S. Senate runoff vote boosts majority

The Republican Party has filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of SB54 the compromise legislation agreed to by supporters of Count My Vote (CMV) and legislators who wanted to preserve the caucus/convention system.

Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

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The Republican Party has filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of SB54 the compromise legislation agreed to by supporters of Count My Vote (CMV) and legislators who wanted to preserve the caucus/convention system. The law allows a candidate to win a primary election ballot spot by gathering a sufficient number of registered voter signatures, or by winning enough delegate votes in the state convention.

SB54 was passed by the 2014 Republican Legislature, signed by a Republican governor, and will be defended by a Republican attorney general and lieutenant governor. So why would the Republican Party challenge a bill supported by its own elected leaders?

Pignanelli: "The opposing party rarely causes so much angst as does one's own." Dick Morris

This is not an ideological dispute it is all about raw political power. (The low policy factor of this controversy is inversely correlated to a high entertainment value.) Special-interest organizations enjoyed the extraordinary influence the delegate system awards them in both parties explaining why Republican and Democrat party leadership opposed Count My Vote.

The compromise legislation was borne out of fear. CMV supporters were nervous that the necessary signatures could not be attained by the deadline and lawmakers were anxious the well-funded measure would be on the ballot causing major headaches for candidates. Sen. Curt Bramble artfully crafted a solution that satisfied CMV demands (Gov. Gary Herbert threatened a veto if it did not) while maintaining a role for delegates. Activists were enraged with the result and threatened retribution. But few, if any, lawmakers lost re-election because of the legislation. Thus, the only recourse for the disgruntled convention militants was the courts.

Politicos are scratching their heads why party officials are leading this charge and not a coalition of citizens.

Webb: The party filed the lawsuit because it is mostly controlled by grass-roots activists and not by mainstream Republicans. As a mainstreamer (Id carry a card if someone would print one) who has been active in the CMV effort, I admit it is our own fault that the hard-core activists, despite being a minority within the party, essentially control the party.

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Frank Pignanelli & LaVarr Webb: The hullabaloo behind the Count My Vote lawsuit

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