AR-News: Louisiana Majority Favors Cockfight Ban; Pro Cockfight Senate Candidate in Trouble

[Political Animal]

Poll: La. majority favors ban on cockfighting


The Associated Press
April 6, 2004

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A new poll commissioned by the U.S.
Humane Society shows that a majority of Louisiana
voters support the idea of making cockfighting
illegal. 

The Humane Society released the poll on the eve of a
scheduled visit to Louisiana Wednesday to announce a
statewide campaign to outlaw cockfighting. 

Louisiana and New Mexico are the only two states where
cockfighting is legal. Attempts in the past by animal
rights advocates to ban the practice in Louisiana have
failed. 

The poll, also backed by The Fund for Animals, was
taken at the end of March and asked 503 likely voters
if they would support a proposed law to ban
cockfighting. 

The survey was made by Texas-based pollster David Hill
and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4
percentage points. The survey found 82 percent of
those polled would like to see cockfighting banned —
71 percent strongly against it. Ninety percent of
women told pollsters they approve a ban, 71 percent of
men. 

On Wednesday, Wayne Pacelle, senior vice president of
the Humane Society, planned to tour the state and drum
up support for prohibiting cockfighting. 

“I had always suspected that the people in Louisiana
would view it the same way as people view it in other
states. But we needed this confirmation,” Pacelle
said. 

The poll was taken as the issue of cockfighting
promises to be an issue in the race to replace
retiring U.S. Sen. John Breaux. U.S. Rep. Chris John,
D-Crowley, a longtime supporter of cockfighters and a
longtime target for animal rights activists, is
running for the seat against fellow Congressman David
Vitter, R-Metairie. 

Pacelle said the poll “spells trouble for Rep. Chris
John and his quest for the open U.S. Senate seat. He
has become the go-to guy in Congress for the cockfighters.”

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