Democrat Blanco Wins La. Governor's Race

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Democratic Lt. Gov. Kathleen Blanco became the first woman ever elected governor of Louisiana on Saturday, defeating a conservative Indian-American and scoring a rare gain for Democrats in an election season that has seen a string of Republican victories.

:)-Lori Price

This is great news!!! :)

Yes! We hang on to another southern statehouse!!!

After losing MS, we really needed this one.

:toast: To the people of Louisiana!!

Yippee for Governor-elect Blanco, a DEMOCRAT from the state of Louisiana. Louisiana just won't take Bush dictation, it seems. First Landrieu, now Blanco.

Things are looking up, fellow Democrats. Bill Clinton carried Louisiana once, we will do it next year.


Welcome, Governor-elect.

Kleenex is a hot item in Repuke land tonight.

Jindal's religious fanaticism he intended to govern with would have been an enourmous setback.

:toast::bounce:

All the republican pundits were saying how our losses in MS and KY were just another example of Democratic weakness in the South. Well, the republicans lost Louisiana and that is certainly in the South. Maybe, the democratic pundits were right when they said that the losses were part of an anti-incumbent mood that could but Bush in danger in 2004. I thought that was just spin but maybe there is some truth to that.

Bobby Jindal was a creationist and sold his soul to the righties in the state. I couldn't be happier.

..so much for being a Rhodes Scholar.

:evilgrin:

:evilgrin:

that Zell would endorse.

Is my home state going to be the staging ground of a long overdue revolt?

Voting in this parish Saturday was on mechanical lever machines. Absentee voting earlier on was done on the new paperless electronic touchscreen machines, of which they said "we're getting rid of because they're not accurate.."

P.S. Most Repubs I talk to here do not like Bush anymore - some vow not to vote for him again, my dad included (who now wants to know who Dean is).

Great work and congratulations!!

Okay, French isn't my strongest skill...But, let's have a toast to some much needed good news!

:toast:

:toast:

Great news!

Don't get me wrong... this is great, good news for Louisiana and I am delighted about this (I live about 50 miles from their border).

I can't help wonder, though, how much this reflects an endorsement for Democrats vs. a nod to racism. Before the election I told my uncle that the good folk of Louisiana had a real dilemma on their hands... either to vote for a woman or an Indian fakir. I'm sure most of them didn't like either choice. My Dad just mentioned that it was really tough to beat anyone in Louisiana that has a cajun sounding name... Kathleen BABINEAUX Blanco.

I would prefer to think that the greater part of this victory was an endorsement of the Democratic party, but I can't help but thinking that it fell out more along cultural lines, i.e. politics as usual. :(

Chicago has a similar trend with Irish sounding names. It seems to have an effect on voters who do not know candidates, especially when voting for a long list of judges most people haven't heard of. I've always suspected that when people don't know the candidates, they have to go with someone based on something on the ballot.

I admit to doing something similar in the past. I've voted for democratic women when confronted with a choice Where I don't know the candidates. It may be politics as usual, but my politics are to support women. The more women are seen as competent and electable in leadership roles, the better my chances for advancement.

It's not surprising that Cajun names would be names that people identify with in LA when choosing candidates that they don't know anything about either of them. This particular race, since it was for the governorship, seems less likely to fall into that catagory. It sounds like she really pulled voters to her side at the last minute. The article talks about a debate in which she clearly distinguished herself from the repub candidate.

If there's a trend here, maybe it's LA voting for women?

btw, Jindal is even more Conservative than Thomas. Lets just forget his politics? The vast majority of African Americans did not- 91% statewide. If anybody was race baiting here it was Jindal, the Repugs, the religious right and a handful of elected black Democrats.

In an article I read before the election one White guy interviewed said he and the folks he knew didn't know what to do in this election.

I believe that rather than vote Democrat or non-White, folks from the same party that brought you David Duke decided to sit this election out.

Maybe I'll even forgive LSU for demolishing the Tide last night. :cry:

"I've always felt or found in a big campaign, people eventually look for humanity," she said.


Sam Jones, the mayor of Franklin and a Blanco supporter, said the final debate clearly delineated distinctions between Blanco and Jindal, who often sounded alike in their positions — touting tax cuts, improving economic development and continuing education reform.


"Voters made up their minds after (that) night," Jones said. "The energy came at the end when she drew hard distinctions"

What ever it was, I hope we can figure it out and repeat it. Anyone have an idea what the Democrats did in LA to secure the win? I hope we can identify a repeatable process and then use it.

In the last two weeks of her campaign, I received several mailers from her campaign about Jindal's stance on abortion. He does not support abortion even to save the life of the mother. I received a phone call from her campaign with the same message. So getting the word out on Jindal's extreme stance on abortion may have helped.

I don't listen to the radio but I'm also told that she took out advertisements on radio telling of her heritage as a duck hunter. It is impossible to imagine Jindal, who is quite frankly a dweeb, out in the marsh with a loaded weapon....

her demographic. She set herself apart from her opponent with the Duck hunting as well. Good things to remember for future elections.

I may have to come down from Misery to the great state of Louisiana for
a boatload of drawfish next Mardi Gras!

Congratulations!

It's a good morning.

yeah, one down fifty to go.
go dems go

This is great news...

is calling this a "rare win for Democrats" instead of what it REALLY is. It just happens that 3 out of 4 of the last elections (I don't really consider the recall to be one) involved Democratic incumbents, the bottom line is EVERY incumbent has been turned out. This now proves this is a large backlash against incumbents, ALL incumbents.

Democrat Diane Feinstein and Republican Sarah Brady, Blanco would have been a distant second.

That's one lesson we Democrats must learn from Blanco's victory -- voters in different areas have different expectations.


QUOTE
By most measures the two candidates were practically ideological soul mates, devout Catholics who oppose affirmative action, abortion, gun control and higher taxes while embracing steps to improve schools, health care and the state's anemic economy. By a narrow margin, Jindal was the more conservative, opposing abortion even in cases of rape and incest and in some instances when a mother's life is in danger. He also opposed legislation requiring helmets for motorcyclists, insisting it should be a matter of personal responsibility, not law.
UNQUOTE

that's two conservative candidates right there.

I guess that's the South though. Conservative vs. ultra conservative

where a strong majority of voters are conservative.

In congress however, a Democratic senator who is pro-RKBA and votes "YES" on progressive education or health care bills has the same value as an anti-RKBA Democratic senator who also votes "YES" on the same bills.

are they copywrited or anything???

:hi:

AND TO DEMOCRATS:

When Democrats mobilize their base, Democrats win. Bobby Jindal's campaign was working hard on the African American community in New Orleans. They saw through it, though. And, they came out en force to vote Democratic. This is a HUGE sign. ESPECIALLY since Blanco had been behind in the polls.

Maybe this goes to show that polls don't really matter. What matters is up to the last minute who gets out there and votes.

I don't think it's a blow for race-related issues. Women are considered minorities, too. And, when it comes down to conservatives voting, I'm sure some of them would take a minority-group, conservative MALE over a liberal woman anyday. But, it apparently was no match for the Democratic voters that came out. What a great effort Blanco's team in Louisiani put out! Classic!

Incredible. I thought for SURE we'd see a Governor Jindal today. I am pleased as pecan pie today! :)

endorsing the Repub! (In fact, she won big in the Big Easy!)

before leaving the house. At that time Blanco was ahead and I left hopeful she could maintain that lead.

This is quite pleasing and underscores your point EXACTLY.

Dems need to give up the middle and PLAY HARD TO ENERGIZE their base to WANT TO VOTE.

practically ideological soul mates, devout Catholics who oppose affirmative action, abortion, gun control and higher taxes while embracing steps to improve schools, health care and the state's anemic economy."

Is that the base you mean when you say "Dems need to give up the middle and PLAY HARD TO ENERGIZE their base to WANT TO VOTE"?

wonderful, wonderful, wonderful...
:bounce: :bounce::bounce: :bounce:

w00t w00t!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

A continuing sign of the pervading anti-incumbent trend.

Congratulations!!!!

:bounce:

First line of business............

Clean house of all pugs!

Then.......
Create your own armed guard to prepare for the defense of the future!

BTW, terrific line: "Create your own armed guard to prepare for the defense of the future!"

New Tactics Discussion Group Formed.
CLG_Revolution_Tactics
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CLG_Revolution_Tactics/

As it was prophecied in DU Apocalypse chapter 6 verse 1-4
"1Then the bird came again, this time healed. He brought with him news from a land to the South, famed for their beaded parties. He said, “Locke.”
2“Yes?” I replied.
3He tweeted a happy tune, “There is a woman, who is blue, and has brought victory to our cause.”
4When I heard this I rejoiced. "

<http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=721542>

It's either that, or the Republicans will start subtly pointing out how many French people there are in Louisiana...