| Line 34: |
Line 34: |
| | Senator Kennedy endorsed his fellow St. Tammany Parish resident, Republican former state Representative [[John Schroder]] in the special election runoff held on November 18, 2017, to choose Kennedy's successor as state treasurer. Schroder won his race for treasurer. | | Senator Kennedy endorsed his fellow St. Tammany Parish resident, Republican former state Representative [[John Schroder]] in the special election runoff held on November 18, 2017, to choose Kennedy's successor as state treasurer. Schroder won his race for treasurer. |
| | | | |
| − | In June 2018, Kennedy called upon Louisiana's Democratic Governor [[John Bel Edwards]] to step down from his position and turn the office over to Lieutenant Governor [[Billy Nungesser]], a Republican. Kennedy is critical of Edwards' repeated calling of special legislative sessions to obtain more tax increases to close a state budget deficit. Kennedy maintains spending must first be reduced before higher taxes should be considered. Edwards' office called Kennedy's demand "absurd."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/legislature/article_a5197e72-6e5c-11e8-a322-fff7ebf6289f.html|title=Sen. John Kennedy: John Bel Edwards should resign; governor's office says that's 'absurd' |publisher=''Baton Rouge Advocate''|date=June 12, 2018|author=Elizabeth Crisp|accessdate=June 13, 2018}}</ref> Kennedy's opposition to Edwards drew the scrutiny of the [[liberal]] ''Baton Rouge Advocate'' newspaper, which claimed the U.S. senator is using his office as "a platform for politically absurd suggestions" and should instead "focus on what is really important to those that elected him. The U.S. Senate, Kennedy's ostensible workplace, hasn't exactly been a model of accomplishment lately. If the senator is worried about the lack of political leadership these days, he should start by looking into the mirror."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/opinion/our_views/article_86570780-6e7e-11e8-b7ff-23a402c6376d.html|title=Our Views: John Kennedy worried about lack of leadership? He should look into the mirror (commentary)|publisher=''Baton Rouge Advocate''|date=June 12, 2018|accessdate=June 13, 2018}}</ref> | + | ==Potential gubernatorial candidacy in 2011== |
| | + | In March 2018, Kennedy accused Governor John Bel Edwards , whom he may challenge for reelection in 2019, of attempting to tax the state into prosperity. Kennedy said that believes Louisiana voters as a whole do believe there is a state fiscal crisis. Edwards' office disputed Kennedy's criticism and said the former state treasurer has offer no solutions for state financial problems.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/article_8524f6f0-2181-11e8-877a-6f530176b7d4.html|title=U.S. Sen. John Kennedy blisters Gov. John Bel Edwards, says voters doubt fiscal crisis|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|author=Will Sentell|date=March 6, 2018|accessdate=August 11, 2018}}</ref> |
| | + | |
| | + | In June 2018, Kennedy called upon Louisiana's Democratic Governor [[John Bel Edwards]] to step down from his position and turn the office over to Lieutenant Governor [[Billy Nungesser]], a Republican. Kennedy was critical of Edwards' repeated calling of special legislative sessions to obtain more tax increases to close a state budget deficit. Kennedy maintains spending must first be reduced before higher taxes should be considered. Edwards' office called Kennedy's demand "absurd."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/legislature/article_a5197e72-6e5c-11e8-a322-fff7ebf6289f.html|title=Sen. John Kennedy: John Bel Edwards should resign; governor's office says that's 'absurd' |publisher=''Baton Rouge Advocate''|date=June 12, 2018|author=Elizabeth Crisp|accessdate=June 13, 2018}}</ref> Kennedy's opposition to Edwards drew the scrutiny of the [[liberal]] ''Baton Rouge Advocate'' newspaper, which claimed the U.S. senator is using his office as "a platform for politically absurd suggestions" and should instead "focus on what is really important to those that elected him. The U. S. Senate, Kennedy's ostensible workplace, hasn't exactly been a model of accomplishment lately. If the senator is worried about the lack of political leadership these days, he should start by looking into the mirror."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/opinion/our_views/article_86570780-6e7e-11e8-b7ff-23a402c6376d.html|title=Our Views: John Kennedy worried about lack of leadership? He should look into the mirror (commentary)|publisher=''Baton Rouge Advocate''|date=June 12, 2018|accessdate=June 13, 2018}}</ref> |
| | + | |
| | + | In August 2018, Kennedy criticized Edwards in regard to criminal justice overhaul. Kennedy said that Edwards advocated a "soft approach" to dangerous prisoners. Kennedy noted that he had warned that early prison releases backed by Edwards would lead to murders: "it was inevitable." Kennedy said that Edwards "just thinks these guys are sick and confused. I think a lot of them are bad." Kennedy sent a letter to President Trump outlining the senator's opposition to Edwards' criminal justice policies.<ref>{{cite web|url= |
| | + | https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/article_d433d0f0-99b7-11e8-accd-27e2a6faf8f9.html|title=U. S. Senator Kennedy, Governor Edwards renew dispute on merits of criminal justice overhaul|date=August 8, 2018|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|author=Will Sentell|accessdate=August 11, 2018}}</ref> |
| | | | |
| | | | |