This election was viewed at the onset as potentially competitive, as incumbent U.S. Senator Johnston was viewed as vulnerable in light of Louisiana's economic troubles at the time and Johnston's voting record viewed by Republicans as too liberal. The Republican Party leadership endorsed the candidacy of State Senator
Ben Bagert, who was picked over Secretary of State
W. Fox McKeithen, State Representative
Quentin Dastugue and State Representative
David Duke. David Duke, however, continued his candidacy and slowly overtook Bagert in attention and in the polls. Duke attracted national attention to the race due to his involvement with
white supremacist groups and his appeals to white resentment over affirmative-action programs. With Bagert failing to gain traction, the
National Republican Senatorial Committee tried to recruit former Governor
David Treen to enter the race. When Treen passed, the effort turned from supporting Bagert to stopping Duke. As the election drew near, polls showed Johnston firmly in first place, with Duke in second place and Bagert trailing far behind at third. National Republicans grew fearful that Bagert's candidacy would only serve to force a runoff and that a potential runoff election with Duke being the de facto Republican nominee would hurt the national brand. On October 4, eight Republican U.S. Senators instead endorsed Johnston, with U.S. Senator
John Danforth saying at the press conference that "all of us would be embarrassed and mortified to have to serve in the United States Senate with David Duke masquerading as a Republican." Bagert dropped out of the race the next day, announcing that "it became more and more apparent, that instead of forcing a runoff between myself and Bennett Johnston, I might very well be forcing a runoff between somebody else and Bennett Johnston." He announced he would "reluctantly" vote for Johnston. Bagert's name remained on the ballot, but under state law his votes could not be counted as part of the official tally. After Bagert dropped out,
HUD Secretary Jack Kemp endorsed Johnston, saying "there's no place in the Republican Party for someone who has practiced and practices racism, bigotry and anti-Semitism."
Endorsements {{Endorsements box | title = J. Bennett Johnston | list =
Republicans •
Jack Kemp,
United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development •
Rudy Boschwitz, United States Senator (R-MN) •
William Cohen, United States Senator (R-ME) •
John Danforth, United States Senator (R-MO) •
David Durenberger, United States Senator (R-MN) •
Nancy Landon Kassebaum, United States Senator (R-KS) •
Frank Murkowski, United States Senator (R-AK) •
Warren Rudman, United States Senator (R-NH) •
Ted Stevens, United States Senator (R-AK) •
Ben Bagert, Louisiana State Senator (R)
(only tactically, to keep David Duke out of office) ==Results ==