Bill Cassidy on Principles & Values

Agrees to one runoff debate; more if Obama visits

Landrieu initially wanted six debates, which apparently will only happen if Obama makes five trips to the state. It's unlikely the unpopular president will make any trips to Louisiana.

"The issue here is who represents Louisiana and who represents President Obama. I know I am with Louisiana. Sen. Landrieu would know that if she actually met with people instead of staged media events. We will have a debate and we will discuss exactly that," Cassidy said.

Landrieu wanted six debates so the voters could "hear the candidates discuss the issues." Cassidy's minimal debate appearances has been a persistent talking point for Landrieu, who has criticized Cassidy saying he's running his race through attack ads on TV.

No-show at Senate debate

According to published reports, Cassidy had agreed to only two debates--a Shreveport debate held a few weeks ago, and a debate in Baton Rouge Wednesday. Cassidy said he wanted to spend more time meeting voters, but political insiders speculate that he is playing safe by avoiding possible gaffes in debates.

Cassidy's absence also meant that it fell entirely to Landrieu's Tea Party challenger, Rob Maness, to engage in what has been the anti-Landrieu line of attack throughout the race: that she is a Washington insider who is too close to President Barack Obama.

AdWatch: Receives ad money from billionaire Koch brothers

"Out of state billionaires, spending millions to rig the system and elect bill Cassidy. Their goal? Another politician bought and paid for," a narrator says in the ad, as shots of the Kochs flash on the screen.

The ad charges that the Kochs want tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas, want to cut Social Security and "end Medicare as we know it," and "even tried to kill relief for hurricane victims."

"Cassidy's billion-dollar backers. They've got a plan for him--it's not good for Louisiana," the ad closes.

The billionaire Koch brothers have sunk at least $30 million into competitive House and Senate races since August of last year.

Member of the House Republican Young Guns.

The new generation of pro-market, small government leaders filled such a need that in October 2007, Fred Barnes of The Weekly Standard profiled Eric Cantor, Paul Ryan, and Kevin McCarthy and christened them the "young guns."

Kevin approached Eric & Paul about the idea of traveling together, as "Young Guns", to visit Republican candidates interested in a new approach for the party.

What began as an informal way to support like-minded candidates became a more formal structure. Once the three Representatives had studied the candidate and given their support to become a Young Gun, they committed to providing financial support through their campaign committees.

Existing House Republicans were approached with a simple pitch: Are we willing to help ourselves by being proactive and going on the offense to change this House? Dozens of our House Republican colleagues joined the Young Gun effort as one of the many signs that the Republican Party had shifted.

Member of the Tea Party movement.

The Tea Party movement is a populist conservative social movement in the United States that emerged in 2009 through a series of locally and nationally coordinated protests. The protests were partially in response to several Federal laws: the stimulus package; te healthcare bill; and the TARP bailouts. The name "Tea Party" refers to the Boston Tea Party of 1773, the source of the phrase, "No Taxation Without Representation."