By David Vitrano

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – Voters across the River Parishes will go to the polls Saturday to vote in a pair of statewide first-party primaries for congressional seats.

One of the more widely publicized races is for the Senate seat currently held by David Vitter.

Vitter, a Republican from Metairie, will face off against fellow Republicans Nick Accardo of Franklin and Chet Traylor of Monroe.

Vitter, once thought to be a shoe-in for re-election, has seemed somewhat vulnerable lately in the wake of the prostitution ring scandal as well as allegations of abuse and harassment against some of his employees.

Three Democrats are also vying for the Senate seat.

Charlie Melancon of Napoleonville vacated his Thrid Congressional District seat to enter the race. He will face Neeson Chauvin Jr. of Carencro and Cary Deaton of Metairie in the primary.

A pair of Libertarian candidates will also face off in a primary for the same Senate seat Saturday.

Anthony Gentile of Mandeville and Randall Todd Hayes of Atlanta, La., are the candidates in that primary.

Primaries will also be held this weekend for the Third Congressional District seat vacated by Melancon. The district covers all of St. James and St. John the Baptist parishes and much of St. Charles Parish.

The only party holding a Saturday primary in that race is the Republican Party. That race, which has heated up lately, will see Houma resident Hunt Downer go up against a pair of New Iberia residents, Jeff Landry and Kristian Magar.

Democrat Ravi Sangisetty of Houma is unopposed.

A portion of the east bank of St. Charles Parish falls in the First Congressional District. Both of the major parties, however, have just one candidate in that race, so there will be no first party primary.

In November, current Senator, Steve Scalise, a Republican from Jefferson will face off against Democrat Myron Katz of New Orleans.

Saturday’s races are closed party primaries, meaning only registered members of that party may vote in the primary.

The one exception is those who are not registered under any party affiliation.

They may vote in either the Democratic or Libertarian primary but not both.

Polls will open at 6 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Residents must bring a driver’s license or other picture ID to vote.