- The Washington Times - Monday, December 1, 2014

Two potential 2016 presidential heavyweights are making last-minute pitches in the final outstanding U.S. Senate race of 2014.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush penned a fundraising letter on behalf of GOP Rep. Bill Cassidy, who is facing Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu in a Saturday run-off.

“Bill is the only candidate in this race who has campaigned on a serious growth agenda for our nation and will be ready to work on getting America back on track, beginning on his first day in the U.S. Senate,” Mr. Bush wrote in a fundraising e-mail for Mr. Cassidy.

Mr. Bush was also scheduled to appear at a Monday fundraiser at the headquarters of Senate Republicans’ campaign arm in Washington, D.C., intended in part to boost Mr. Cassidy, the Washington Examiner said.

The Louisiana Senate race has attracted other potential 2016 contenders as well, such as Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida.

Meanwhile, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, seen as the odds-on favorite to win the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016 if she runs, is scheduled to appear at a New York City fundraiser on behalf of Ms. Landrieu Monday evening.

The most recent campaign finance reports give Mr. Cassidy an edge in fundraising over Ms. Landrieu, who has largely been abandoned by national Democratic groups in her bid to hold onto her seat. Neither candidate eclipsed 50 percent of the vote on Nov. 4, necessitating theDec. 6 runoff.

As National Journal points out, Mrs. Clinton is making a pitch on behalf of Ms. Landrieu, whose unsuccessful push to secure congressional approval for the Keystone XL pipeline came to the forefront in recent weeks, on the same night Mrs. Clinton is to appear at an event for the League of Conservation Voters, an environmentalist group that opposes the pipeline.

• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.

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