Since Rep. Bobby Jindal (R) was elected governor on Saturday, the race to serve as his Congressional successor in the 1st district has opened up this week.

Former Gov. Dave Treen (R) said he plans to run, telling a Louisiana newspaper that his age, 79, should not be a factor in the race. Treen, who also is a former Congressman, reminded the New Orleans Times-Picayune that “wisdom comes with age.”

Slidell Mayor Ben Morris (R) also is in the race and state Rep. Steve Scalise, who for a time sought the 1st district seat in 2004, when Jindal was first elected, also is expected to run. Scalise had more than $100,000 in his campaign account as of Sept. 30.

Other GOP names being floated include state Sens. Tom Schedler and Art Lentini and state Rep. Tim Burns. Jefferson Parish Councilor Tom Capella (R) and Kyle Ruckert (R), a former staffer for Sen. David Vitter (R), also are mentioned.

On the Democratic side, 2006 candidate David Gereighty, who was able to secure only 7 percent of the vote against Jindal in last year’s race, is expected to join the contest. Also, psychologist and professor Gilda Reed (D) already is in the race but had just $12,000 in cash on hand at the end of last month.

— John McArdle