BATON ROUGE, La., Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Republican Gov. Mike Foster said Friday he would not enter the race to unseat Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., despite encouragement from President Bush and others who believed he would be the best GOP candidate.
Foster, who was elected twice by more than 60 percent of the vote, received phone calls from Bush and other GOP leaders this week trying to persuade him to take on Landrieu and possibly help the party take control of the Senate. Friday was the final filing day.
In the end, Foster decided it was more important for him to serve out his second and final term as he promised the Louisiana voters. He said a number of "serious issues" face the state before he must step down under term limits in January 2004.
"It's my duty really to stay here and do what I was elected to do," the 72-year-old governor said. "That was the decision I made and it was hard."
Earlier this week Foster said he would not run if there were a better Republican who could win and he took the moment outside the governor's mansion to endorse U.S. Rep. John Cooksey, a Republican from Monroe in northern Louisiana.
Landrieu was targeted by Republicans who are trying to gain control of the Senate where Bush's judicial nominees are being held up by Democrats.
In Louisiana, there is an open election in the Senate and Congressional races Nov. 5. If a runoff is necessary, it would be held be held Dec. 7.
