("Little Billy," a callow fraternity boy) seeks LA cong. seat

[hoosier]

NEW ORLEANS - A trickle of voters across southern Louisiana turned out Saturday to settle the last bit of unfinished business from the 2004 election season - runoffs in two bitterly contested U.S. House races.

The runoff was necessary because none of the candidates in the 3rd and 7th Congressional district races won a 50 percent majority. Although the seats can't change control of the House, Republicans hoped to pad their majority, while Democrats were trying to beat back GOP momentum from Election Day.

Vice President Dick Cheney and Democratic Gov. Kathleen Blanco have tried to drum up enthusiasm for their candidates, but parish officials said turnout was running extremely low with voters apparently turned off by a relentless barrage of attack ads.

In the 3rd District along Louisiana's swampy southern coast, Democrat Charlie Melancon has derided his 31-year-old opponent, Billy Tauzin III, as "Little Billy," a callow fraternity boy who is trying to inherit the seat from his 12-term incumbent father, Rep. Billy Tauzin Sr.

Tauzin has returned fire, trying to show that Melancon has previously voted in favor of sex-education for small children, and is a "liberal."


Republicans have poured money into the other Cajun country race, where retired heart surgeon Charles Boustany has portrayed his Democratic opponent, state Sen. Willie Landry Mount, as a tax-happy liberal. Mount, in turn, has accused Boustany of favoring tax cuts for the rich and not caring enough about health care reforms.

Both candidates are trying to fill the seat being vacated by Democratic Rep. Chris John, who ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate this year.

Though Republicans have held the 3rd District for nearly a quarter-century, thanks to the popularity of the retiring Tauzin Sr., Republicans say their best chance may be in the 7th District that has always been Democratic.

Democrats were banking on a big turnout in the districts, which are nearly a quarter black. But they may not get it.

"With all the advertisements, I would have thought a lot of people are really, really turned off," said Bobby Boudreaux, court clerk in Terrebonne Parish in the 3rd District.