The next election for president is two years away, but there are candidates in both parties who are positioning themselves for a possible run. A new candidate on the list, and a guy from Louisiana, is current U.S. Senator John Kennedy, who is 74. When asked about his interest in the nation’s top office, Kennedy did not shy away from a retort. He promptly responded with the title of a 1984 country hit by the Judds: “Why not me?”
If you haven’t followed the Senator’s recent activities, he has visited the early primary states of both Iowa and South Carolina to raise money for other Republicans. His book about Washington’s dysfunction was on the New York Times Best Seller list for several months. And he has a campaign fund approaching $20 million. Kennedy was quoted in a recent interview as saying: “If I get tired of this place (the Senate), and/or if a bunch of goobers run for president, then I reserve the right to run.” I’m not sure what he meant by goobers, but I’m sure he will tell us with his sense of humor.
Kennedy is one of a number of Louisiana politicos who has considered a run for national office. The only Louisianan ever elected president was Zachary Taylor back in 1849. Huey Long was considered a potential challenger to President Franklin Roosevelt in 1936. His plans were derailed when he was assassinated at the Louisiana State Capitol.
