Franklin, Andrews, Kramer & Edelstein

[scion]

It’s Trump vs. Giuliani in Louisiana House race

By ALEX ISENSTADT 06/22/2018 09:33 AM EDT
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/06/22/trump-endorse-clay-higgins-664291

President Donald Trump has offered his personal support to Louisiana Rep. Clay Higgins, giving him a major boost in his primary.

The move is a major brush-back to the president’s personal attorney, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Giuliani is set to travel to Louisiana on Monday to raise money for attorney Josh Guillory, a long-shot Higgins primary opponent who is employing Giuliani’s new girlfriend, Republican fundraiser Jennifer LeBlanc.

Giuliani’s foray into the contest is unexpected because party leaders typically protect sitting incumbents, not try to dislodge them. It has infuriated senior Republicans, who are convinced that the former mayor is acting at his girlfriend’s behest.

In recent days, aides to House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, the dean of the Louisiana House delegation, have contacted the White House to complain about Giuliani’s visit and to reaffirm Scalise’s support for Higgins. Officials with the Louisiana Republican Party also reached out to the White House.

Trump met with Higgins on Wednesday and personally offered the congressman his support, according to two people familiar with the matter. That same day, Higgins aides got in touch with the White House Office of Political Affairs to arrange a public endorsement.

On Thursday evening, Trump’s reelection campaign sent out a statement endorsing Higgins, who has closely aligned himself with the president.

“We are pleased to announce our support for Rep. Clay Higgins in his race for reelection to the 3rd District of Louisiana today following a personal endorsement by President Trump,” said Lara Trump, Trump’s daughter-in-law and a senior official on the reelection campaign. “Clay Higgins is a law and order Congressman who has been a great supporter of President Trump, especially the president’s historic tax cuts that have created new jobs and growth for the people of the 3rd District of Louisiana.”

LeBlanc has deep roots in Louisiana politics, having raised money in the state for Giuliani’s 2008 presidential bid and Rick Perry’s 2012 campaign. The recently-divorced Giuliani went public with his new relationship with LeBlanc last week, telling the New York Daily News that the two were dating.

LeBlanc had been working for Higgins until late last year, when she abruptly switched to Guillory’s campaign.

On Thursday evening, LeBlanc released a statement addressing her role in the campaign and her relationship with Giuliani.

“To be certain, I ended work with Congressman Higgins, and later began work with Josh Guillory, well before I began spending part of my social life with Mayor Rudy Giuliani,” she said. “These three decisions in my life were made for very different reasons, and are independent of each other.”

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/06/22/trump-endorse-clay-higgins-664291