Louisiana Lt. Gov. won't challenge Landrieu for Senate

Louisiana Lt. Gov Jay Dardenne said Friday that he would not challenge Sen. Mary Landrieu in her 2014 bid for reelection to the Senate.

"I'm not going to run for the U.S. Senate," he told LaPolitics. "This fell in my lap. I didn't go out looking for it. So I'm not going to prolong the question any longer. I love what I'm doing and I will continue to do that for the balance of my term."

The lieutenant governor was considered a possible challenger to Landrieu, who will be running for reelection in the solidly Republican state. Just last week, another contender — Rep. Charles Boustany (R-La.) — said he would not seek the Republican nomination.

But despite Louisiana's Republican tilt, Landrieu has increased her margin of victory in each subsequent U.S. Senate election she has competed in. In 2008, she defeated state treasurer John Neely Kennedy 52-46 percent. Her bid next year will likely be aided by her brother, Mitch Landrieu, who became mayor of New Orleans in 2010.

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