Louisiana politics has hit the major leagues.

With all eyes on the state’s senatorial runoff set for this December, the two key figures in that battle are looking to hit last-minute grand slams.

Incumbent Sen. Mary Landrieu, a Democrat, and her political rival, U.S. Rep. Bill Cassidy, a Republican, are introducing bills to clear the way for the Keystone XL pipeline.

While the moves are completely political, it has the potential to be a big hit for Louisiana either way.

Timing may be everything, but we find this to be the perfect time to get Louisiana the jobs and economic boost that the pipeline promises.

Landrieu is expected to bring the bill to a vote in the Senate as early as today and is looking for unanimous consent. Cassidy has said he is hoping to do the same in the House on Friday.

While clearly the two are playing pingpong with the issue for votes, the important thing for Louisiana is not who gets the credit but rather the pipeline itself.

It should be noted, however, that Landrieu has been unsuccessful in her attempts in the past, blocked by her own party. Now, with her seat in jeopardy, it is likely the Democrats in the Senate will be more inclined to vote for the pipeline, giving Landrieu a needed boost before the runoff. That, however, does not matter to the Louisianians who will benefit from the pipeline no matter which side gets the credit.

“A clear path has been spread for Keystone,” Landrieu said. “In my view, the path will never be clearer than it is today, but politics and gamesmanship has to be put aside.”

While we couldn’t agree more, we are also not naive enough to think both sides aren’t playing for votes. We encourage both parties to consider more the working public than the voting public when it comes to passing this bill as quick as possible. It is unlikely that the two sides will come together before the runoff, but it is our hope that this game will end with a victory for the people of our state, including Southwest Louisiana.(MGNonline)