Louisiana Primary: Vitter's First Post-Madam Test In a State Changed By Katrina

August 27, 2010 -- While most of the country has its eyes on Louisiana for the five-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, voters in the state will be headed to primary polls on Saturday.

It is the first chance Louisiana Republicans have had to pass judgment on Sen. David Vitter, one of the most scandal-ridden lawmakers on Capitol Hill. But voters in Louisiana seem willing to forgive if recent polls are any indication.

Long a family values candidate, Vitter admitted in 2008 to having visited a prostitute while he was in Congress. And more recently, as ABC reported first, Vitter came under fire from women's groups for continuing to employ a staffer who pled guilty to abusing his girlfriend.

"It takes more than one sex scandal to bring down a Louisiana politician," said John Maginnis, who writes for the LaPolitics.com website and forsees a sweeping Vitter victory Saturday.

A retired Supreme Court Judge, Chet Traylor, filed paperwork to oppose Vitter at the last moment, but Traylor's campaign has seemingly not taken off. He has not raised much money, has not put any TV ads on the air, and has not been able to enter the conversation. Plus – and this is an amazing irony – Traylor has been dogged by allegations of infidelity. He is involved in a relationship with the estranged wife of his stepson.

Watch his interview by Jonathan Karl and Rick Klein here.

ABC's Cokie Roberts, a Louisiana politics expert, said Vitter was also inoculated against the effect of his infidelity because his wife stood by him during his admission in 2007 and after.

"In Louisiana they're saying at least he didn't covet another man's wife," said Roberts, referring to Traylor. "(Vitter's) wife stood by him and that's huge in this even among his religious conservative base. We've learned it from Elizabeth Hamilton, wife of Alexander, on down."