Candidate

Profile David Vitter

Political Party: Republican Age: 52 Spouse: Wendy Baldwin Vitter Current Residence: Metairie, LA Education: Harvard College, A.B. Oxford University, B.A. Tulane University, J.D. Children: 4 Occupation: State Senator Religion: Roman Catholic

Biography:
David Vitter was born and raised in New Orleans, LA and is the son of Audrey Malvina and Albert Leopold Vitter. He graduated from De La Salle High School in 1979. Following high school, Vitter received an A.B. from Harvard College in 1983 and a B.A. from Oxford University in 1985 as a Rhodes Scholar. Vitter then continued on to receive a J.D. from Tulane University Law School in 1988. He spent time practicing as a lawyer and professing adjunct law at both Tulane and Loyola University in New Orleans. Prior to entering the U.S. House of Representatives, Vitter served as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1992 to 1999. Succeeding Republican Congressman Bob Livingston, Vitter won a special election to Louisianas 1st congressional district in 1999. In both 2000 and 2002, Vitter won reelection with over 80% of the vote. Vitter was preparing to run for governor in the 2003 election but dropped out in June of 2002 to deal with marital problems. Shortly after he dropped

out of the race, Louisiana Weekly published a story on Vitters alleged relations with a prostitute. During the 2004 U.S. Senate election, Vitter ran to replace Democrat John Breaux. On November 2, 2004, he won the jungle primary. He collected the majority of the vote while the rest of the vote was mostly split among the Democratic candidates. Vitter was the first Republican in Louisiana to be popularly elected as a U.S. Senator. In 2010, Vitter ran for reelection and was successful. Fundraising for his 2010 campaign reached $12 million. He defeated Chet D. Taylor in the Republican primary election and Democrat U.S. Representative Charlie Melancon in the general election. Vitter sits on the Committee on Armed Services; Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Committee on Environment and Public Works; and Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. He serves as a ranking member within the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Vitter resides in Metairie with his wife Wendy and their four children. Louisiana United States Senatorial Election David Vitter* Charlie Melancon Randall T. Hayes

Electoral History: 2010

Republican Democrat Libertarian

57% 38% 1% 51% 29% 15% 3% 1% 1% 1%

Louisiana United States Senatorial Election David Vitter Chris John John Neely Kennedy Arthur Morrell Richard Fontanesi R.A. Galan Sam Melton

2004
Republican Democrat Democrat Democrat Independent Independent Democrat

Louisiana 1st District 1999 United States Congressional Election David Vitter Republican David C. Treen Republican * Indicates incumbent Bold indicates winner

51% 49%

Strengths & Weaknesses

U.S. Senator David Vitter is a conservative reformer who has been well established in Louisiana since 1991. Seeking reelection in the 2016 U.S. Senate race, Vitter already has advantages being the incumbent. As we saw in the 2010 U.S. Senate election, Vitter gathered $12 million in fundraising, which indicates he was able to establish a solid base of supporters. He holds the upper hand in that his Louisiana conservative supporters will more than likely give him their vote again due to positive approval ratings. Vitters strengths are demonstrated through his loyalty to not only his supporters but to his state of Louisiana as a whole. He has displayed his loyalty by defending Louisiana jobs that depend on oil and gas drilling and by fighting to reform the Army Corps of Engineers to guarantee better protection for hurricanes and flooding. He identifies with Louisiana conservatives in that he believes the federal government is too involved in Louisianans daily lives and he is pushing to put government back in its proper role. As a ranking member in the United States Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Vitters work to advocate for a balanced approach on federal energy and environmental policy is appealing to many. He further identifies with the conservative party as he pushes for small business protection, pro- gun and pro- life rights while opposing same-sex marriage, President Obamas health reform legislation and illegal immigration. Combined with his impressive educational background and his successful electoral history, Vitter proves himself to Louisiana Conservatives as a dedicated Senator who pushes Louisiana values.

 Although Senator Vitter has demonstrated his strengths in many areas in his career, he has exposed himself to potential weaknesses that could hurt reelection in 2016. In early July 2007, Vitters phone number was discovered on the D.C. Madams phone records. The U.S. government, for running a prostitution service, convicted the D.C. Madam. Due to the statue of limitations Vitter didnt face criminal charges. Following the day Vitter publicly apologized for his involvement in the D.C. Madam scandal, new allegations arrived that tied him to a high- priced brothel in New Orleans. In 2010, Vitters opponent Charlie Melancon launched an attack ad to remind voters of Vitters involvement with the D.C. Madam and the alleged sexual relationship with a New Orleans prostitute. The attack ad continued on to show a man, who identified himself as a retired firefighter, vocalizing that if youre writing the laws, you should have to abide by the laws. Melancons ad proved to be ineffective seeing as Vitter won the election. Vitters weaknesses are highlighted by the family value platform he runs on such as advocating for abstinence- only sex education, yet he has displayed contradicting values by having relations with prostitutes. He will rely heavily on his already established support base in the 2016 election. If his opponent is able to produce an effective attack ad that portrays him as a hypocrite and liar he may find it hard to be reelected. Vitter is a very bold, conservative reformer who wont be found appealing to those outside of the conservative party.