Ringside Politics With A Punch

On Tuesday, U.S. Congressman Joseph Cao (R-New Orleans) was officially sworn in as a new member of the 111th Congress. Cao has been quite the national celebrity since his upset defeat of 18-year congressional incumbent Bill Jefferson. He has made history as the first Vietnamese American elected to Congress. He also defied the political odds by being elected in a district with a large majority of African American and Democratic voters. As a new political star, Cao has been featured on national cable television programs and highlighted in prominent newspapers such as the Washington Post. Yet, according to at least one political insider, Cao will need all that publicity and more if he expects to win re-election to the office in 2010. According to Timothy Carney, editor of the Evans-Novak Political Report, Cao is “the most vulnerable member of Congress.” Carney believes that Cao will be an inviting target for Democrats because of the unusual circumstances surrounding his electoral victory. He was elected in a low turnout special election, defeating an indicted Democrat facing an upcoming federal trial. Already, leading Democrats are exploring the possibility of challenging Cao in two years. At this point, the most likely opponent for Cao will be State Representative Cedric Richmond (D-New Orleans), who finished third in the Democratic Party primary. While Democrats target Cao, the new congressman will work to reach out to African Americans in his district and will receive plenty of support from the Republican Party, which sees him as a symbol of the type of diversity the party needs to succeed in the future. Cao will also complete the hiring process for his staff and is looking to add African Americans to prominent positions in both his district and congressional offices.