With less than a month to go before the primary for the open 1st district seat, the powerful anti-tax group the Club for Growth has endorsed state Sen. Steve Scalise (R) and also took the opportunity to take a shot at his top GOP competitor.

In a news release Tuesday, the club dubbed Scalise a “pro-growth star” in the state Legislature and lauded his efforts to fight Democratic- and Republican-led tax and spending increases.

The release also said that Slidell Mayor Ben Morris (R), who is seeking the Republican nomination, “has a record of pushing for higher taxes and spending, including higher sales and property taxes. Morris’ record stands in stark contrast to Scalise’s history of fighting to protect Louisiana’s taxpayers.”

The backing of the well-funded Club for Growth could be a key endorsement given the short timetable for the special election, which was made necessary after then-Rep. Bobby Jindal (R) was elected governor last year. It’s an election where name identification and voter contact will be key, and the Club for Growth’s political action committee has a history of dropping large amounts of money on its candidates.

The winner of the Republican primary likely will go on to win the special election in the spring in the suburban New Orleans conservative stronghold where President Bush won 71 percent of the vote in 2004.
— John McArdle