16 To Run For Senate Seat

Posted: Jul 9, 2010 6:33 PM by Letitia Walker

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Sixteen people have signed up to run for

the seat held by Republican U.S. Sen. David Vitter, including a

former Louisiana Supreme Court justice who's challenging Vitter in

the GOP primary.

Chet Traylor, from Monroe, was the last candidate to register

for a congressional election before the qualifying period ended

Friday. He'll face off with Vitter in the Republican primary Aug.

28.

Traylor says he was encouraged by Republicans who are

dissatisfied with Vitter, who was tainted by a 2007 prostitution

scandal.

Also entering the Senate race was a state lawmaker from

Plaquemines Parish who left the GOP and registered Friday as an

independent. Rep. Ernest Wooton, of Belle Chasse, is a former

sheriff known for his outspoken comments in the Louisiana House. As

an independent, Wooton will bypass the party primaries and directly

enter the Nov. 2 general election.