Senate race features prostitutes, David Duke, cross-dressing

(AP) — With an open seat, two dozen candidates, prostitution allegations and a white supremacist contender, the only sure thing in Louisiana's U.S. Senate race seems to be that it won't be decided Nov. 8 when most of the nation's political contests are settled.

Republican state Treasurer John Kennedy is accused of promoting suicide because of his oft-repeated catchphrase that he'd "rather drink weed killer" than be a political insider or support the federal health care overhaul.

Another candidate, former Alcohol and Tobacco Control Commissioner Troy Hebert, filmed a 25-minute YouTube video with low-budget effects, donning wigs and costumes to play the major candidates and debate moderators -- male and female -- and draw eyeballs to his struggling campaign.

The seat is open because Republican David Vitter chose not to seek re-election after losing the governor's race last year — partly because of his own 2007 prostitution scandal.

Lagging in the polls, Duke's campaign has largely been treated as a side-show as he tries to link his candidacy to the popularity of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in Louisiana.

[...] the white supremacist Duke surprised political watchers when he reached 5 percent in a recent independent poll, enough to get invited to a Nov. 2 televised debate — which is being filmed at historically black Dillard University in New Orleans.

Fleming has accused both of his Republican opponents of being engaged in the equivalent of a junior high food fight, while he's the grown-up with the strong conservative ideals.