Kristian Magar Is A Stand-Up Guy.

The race for the Republican nomination for the LA-3 Congressional seat is one of the most distasteful political campaigns I have ever witnessed. I can not wait until it is over on Saturday.

After the first primary vote, it was assumed the initial loser, Kristian Magar, would throw his support to the 'other' Tea Party candidate, Jeff Landry, against former State representative and army general, Hunt Downer.

Magar has not endorsed anyone, but he has come out and said he is voting for Downer, and said why.

Both Landry and Downer have, in the opinion of your humble blogger, run very bad campaigns - Landry's for getting into the mud as fast as they did, and Downer's for being more than willing to follow them there. And, this is a GOP primary, for crissakes!

Both Landry and Downer threw the 11th Commandment right out the window, and have given their Democrat opponent and the Mainstream Media ample fodder for the next month to use against whichever one survives this fight. Will they be too damaged to win? In a normal year I would say, yes. But with the anti-Obama/Democrat tide at it's peak, the GOP nominee will likely get by.

Now, about Magar: I have never met him, but my friends in the Tea Party Movement began talking about Magar several months ago, and most all in glowing terms - including the folks I know of from the Tea Parties in LA-3. Which made Baton Rouge's Tea Party of Louisiana endorsement and energetic efforts in this race all the more puzzling, as LA-3 does not include Baton Rrouge area. (Though, some are saying it isn't puzzling at all...)

They said Magar appears to be the real deal - a citizen-legislator wanting to do his service, and willing to live by high standards and ethics. I think Magar standing by those at this point proves they were right.

All I can say is I hope his alleged bad experiences at the hands of the Landry campaign don't disillusion Magar from putting his hat in the ring again. He is the kind of candidate the Tea Party has been searching for.

Full disclosure: Though not well, I know Hunt Downer - I was in the Guard when he was, and he knows some of my family. I always knew him as honest and ethical. I have also supported his campaign with a donation because of it. However, as I do not live in LA-3, so please do not take this as a tacit endorsement of Downer.