Gustav may prompt La. to delay primary

WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Hurricane Gustav may disrupt primary elections in Louisiana, with the secretary of state pondering a possible rain delay.

In a hotly Republican race to see who success GOP Rep. Jim McCrery in Washington, campaigns were suspended, The Hill reported Monday. On the Democratic side, the New Orleans seat held by indicted Rep. William Jefferson also would be affected.

State officials are drafting plans for possibly delaying the primary elections a week, from Sept. 6 to Sept. 13, or later if necessary.

However, Jacques Berry, a spokesman for the Louisiana secretary of state's office, told the Washington publication that setting the date later than Sept. 13 would lead the state to also push back the primary runoff, now scheduled for Oct. 4.

"We've got to go through everywhere and allow people to go back and check on the voting machines," Berry said. "But all that takes a back seat to the lives and the property, so there may be some more waiting even after the storms are through."