Ex-Rep. Alexander may run for old seat

Former Rep. Rodney Alexander (R-La.) may want his old seat back.

{mosads} Alexander, currently serving as Gov. Bobby Jindal’s secretary of Veterans Affairs, told the News-Star that he’d be open to campaigning for the seat he resigned to join Jindal’s administration last year.

“I would never say anything is off of the table,” Alexander told the newspaper Thursday. “If I felt like the people of Louisiana and the 5th District wanted me for a particular purpose or office, I am willing to serve them.”

Its current representative, Republican Vance McAllister, is on his heels following the release of a video that shows the married father of five kissing a married staffer in his congressional office. The staffer has since resigned.

And a handful of McAllister’s former opponents from the 2013 special election have suggested this week that they’re interested in running again as well.

McAllister has refused pleas to resign his seat, but his campaign manager recently said he hasn’t decided whether he’ll run for reelection this fall.

Alexander declined to comment on whether McAllister should resign. And while he cited the partisan bickering and constant fundraising members of Congress face as reasons for his resignation, he said that “of course I miss” the job.

“I enjoyed being a member of Congress, and I worked hard at it,” he said. “I don’t miss what you have to do to stay in Congress, but I miss being able to have an impact for the overall betterment of the 5th District,” he said.

“In the position I’m in now, I can speak up better and do more for veterans than I could as their congressman, but there are other things I can’t address.”