| Good Morning, Qualifying for the Nov. 8 congressional elections begins Wednesday and runs through the close of business Friday at the Secretary of State's Office, 8585 Archives Ave., Baton Rouge. Qualifying is basically filling out forms and paying a $600 fee for congressional candidates, plus $300 more if running under the Democratic or Republican banner. It’s how candidates get their name on the Nov. 8 ballot. All the congressional incumbents are expected to make an appearance sometime during the three-day period. U.S. Sen. John N. Kennedy will be there. The Madisonville Republican, so far, is running for his second six-year-term against three announced Democratic contenders: Gary Chambers, of Baton Rouge; Luke Mixon, of Baton Rouge; Syrita Steib, of New Orleans. Incumbents in the six U.S. House of Representative seats are coming to qualify. Little chatter has been detected of any serious challenges to their reelections with the exception of Congressman Clay Higgins, R-Lafayette, who may get a challenger in Lafayette Republican Holden Hoggatt, an assistant district attorney. The U.S. House is meeting Wednesday and Thursday, so most of the qualifying action in Baton Rouge likely will take place on Friday. U.S. Reps. Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson; Troy Carter, D-New Orleans; Clay Higgins, R-Lafayette; Mike Johnson, R-Bossier City; Julia Letlow, R-Start; and Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge; are expected to sign up. A passel of other elections also will be on the ballot. Several judges face the voters, including Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice John Weimer, and Louisiana Public Service Commissioners Lambert Boissiere III, a Democrat whose District 3 represents metro New Orleans, up the Mississippi River into north Baton Rouge; and PSC Commissioner Mike Francis, a Crowley Republican who regulates utilities for southwest Louisiana. A handful of mayors and Constitutional amendments also are on the ballot. Former New Orleans Sen. Karen Carter Peterson was named last week in a federal bill of information with charges to which she is expected to plead guilty. The allegations stem from past campaigns and her stint as head of the Louisiana Democratic Party. Peterson is facing one count of wire fraud in connection with allegations of writing checks out of her campaign fund to confederates who would return the cash to her. She has admitted to a gambling addiction. Her state senate seat along with that of former state Sen. Rick Ward III, a Port Allen Republican who abruptly retired in June, both will be filled in the upcoming election. Meanwhile in Baton Rouge, lawyers for abortion providers in Louisiana argued in court Monday that the state’s strict ban on the pregnancy-ending procedure is rife with ambiguity that is hurting pregnant women by causing doctors to delay certain types of medical care out of fear they’ll wind up in prison. Attorney General Jeff Landry, who is defending the ban, countered that the law is plenty clear: Elective abortions are banned, and doctors won’t be in violation of the criminal laws as long as they use “reasonable medical judgement.” Nineteenth Judicial District Court Judge Don Johnson, of Baton Rouge, left in place a temporary restraining order that has allowed at least one of three clinics to continue providing abortions. The case is an early step in the ongoing legal fight over Louisiana’s “trigger ban” that was passed in anticipation of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v Wade, which it did in June, ending a half-century right to an abortion and returning the authority to individual states. As always, check throughout the day for the latest Louisiana political news at theadvocate.com/politics or NOLA.com/politics and on Twitter at @MarkBallardCNB, @tegbridges, @samkarlin, @WillSentell. Here are a dozen articles, commentaries and editorials that will catch you up for the week to come. One last item: Thank you to our subscribers. Your support means a great deal to us. If you're not yet a subscriber, we’ve got a special offer you can check out here. – Mark Ballard | 