re: Does a quid pro quo exist that kept good rep. Senate candidates off the ballot?

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Cassidy was not the state GOP (read Jindal)'s first choice. They wanted Boustany, but Boustany is looking forward to a senate run to replace Vitter (a state GOP pariah). Scalise wanted to stay in his district since he had just won some serious clout in Congress. Jindal is obviously still governor, so if he wanted to return to capital hill, his shot would be when Vitter runs for governor. Dardenne has his eyes focused on the state capital and Strain lacks the clout for a Senate run at this time. This left the cupboard relatively bare for this election.

Cassidy was seen as the unoffensive candidate. With his medical background, he was seen as someone who could contrast with Mary on Obamacare. The entire state and national GOP (including EVEN VITTER!) united to defeat Mary. The issue is that Cassidy is not a natural politician. He never was, he's just a wealthy doctor. One of his patients husbands (who was unhappy with his current representation and wanted to spite him) put him up to running for state office years ago and he found himself in the right circles for advancement.

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