Why is Louisiana out of play this election?

[Gaffey Duck]

All the polls I'm reading point to an easy Bush victory.

[aden_nak]

1. Um. . . because the Mason Dixon Line is still a relevant boundary.

[Jacobin]

18. Gee, why is New Hampshire so close... and New Jersey?

I thought they were north of the mason dixon line, but since I'm from Louisiana, I guess I'm too stupid to read a map.

:mad:

[aden_nak]

20. Eh, perhaps you read into that a little too much?

Politically speaking, the Mason Dixon Line has been a boundary for the Democratic Party ever since the Dixiecrats (thankfully) faded from memory. Statisticly speaking, the only Democrats that do well nationally below the line are Democrats FROM the region (Clinton is the most obvious example). I wasn't trying to imply that everyone from the Stouth is stupid. I was saying, flat out, that the South is primarily conservative.

[kwolf68]

2. Its Louisiana

The same reason Illinois is out of play in favor of Kerry. Some states just go with one party or the other.

[Gaffey Duck]

3. I thought it usually trended close though...

:-(

[fob]

4. Yeah but aren't there WAAAYYYY more Democrats registered in

LA than there are repukes? There's got to be something else besides race baiting by the repugs.

[aldian159]

6. Many southerners

have been registered Dem forever, but they vote GOP. Lots have just forgotten to change registration.

However, LA is the only southern state with two Dem senators and a Dem governor.

[Sean Reynolds]

7. That may be true (not sure), but they're WAAAAYYY conservative Democrats.

Remember this is the state that elected David Duke...it's still a VERY conservative state. Utah, a state where independents are the majority, is a very conservative state. Even the Democrats here would probably be Republicans in other states, it's a lot like that down there too. In fact Utah's 2nd District Congressman Jim Matheson is getting hit HARD by the Republican trying for his seat. In every add it talks about his endorsement of John Kerry and the fact he votes with RADICAL liberal Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi ain't really that liberal and I can tell you she's no radical.....but in the eyes of many in Utah she is. Just as John Kerry is. I'm sure they've got the same mindset down there too.

[JI7]

9. they are conservative on social issues kind of like west virginia

if you go there and listen to them what many of them say is they agree with kerry on economics but have questions about him when it comes to things like guns, abortion , etc.

remember, even mary landrieu who is from the state won by a very small amount. and that's taking into account how shitty her opponent was. in the first round she didn't get majority so had to do a run off.

[dolstein]

5. Like most Southern states, its voters aren't inclined to support ...

a Northeastern liberal. Kerry is simply too far out of step culturally and geographically. Someone like Edwards or Wes Clark might have had a shot.

[choicevoice]

8. The latest we are getting from our headquarters here is that

we are down less than 6 percent. We did have a lot of new voter registration but information is scarce. I'm hoping for a miracle.

[Catfight]

10. The murder capital of the world loves their guns loves their bigotry,

loves their poverty. They are the epitome of voting for the person to keep them down. To sum it up, they don't know how to begin to start change they are so stuck in the mud!

[choicevoice]

11. How insulting....

May I inquire as to your first hand knowlege of the people of our state? or is this just more southern bashing crap?

[Catfight]

14. I lived with someone from Gretna for 5 years and I visited frequently.

to New Orleans. I love the place, however, the place is really religious and the education system is a poor as Florida's. Why don't you enlighten me as to why LA remains so Republican? I'd love to hear your thoughts on that good question.

[choicevoice]

16. Be happy o ...

While the northern part of the state is what could be categorized typically "southern" the southern part of LA is more European in culture. Yes we have our roots in Catholicism as shown by our state having parishes instead of counties. And yes we have the scourge of the evangelical nutjobs as well. All of this aside to state that we are the murder capital and that we are people who loves our guns and loves our bigotry and loves our poverty and elect the person to keep us down and characterize us as "so Republican" is false and is just plain ignorant. If you check our senators and governor you will see that we are in fact quite "democratic". Additionally we went Clinton both times.

If the people you described are what you see when you visit our state may I suggest.....you might want to visit more than just YOUR relatives and YOUR friends.

[Catfight]

21. I love NO, and I think it's one of the most cultured cities in America.

I say bigots because they voted for stop gay marriage in the state, did they not? I say poverty because LA has a high unemployment rate, does it not? I say guns, because it's a southern thing, and yes, maybe I did stereotype that, my apologies. Can you help me understand under THIS President why LA is a red state? Hopefully minus the insults to my intelligence, geesh, people are so mean these days.

[choicevoice]

23. like all the "loves their" crap isn't an insult to my intelligence?

Please tell me what state you hail from that apparently doesn't have bigots, unemployment, poverty and guns and that 100% of the voters are voting for Kerry/Edwards. How many states have voted for gay marriage? How many states have high unemployment? How many states have guns? How many states have poverty? Are these truly "southern" attributes?

If I could tell you why there is a person in this country who could possibly vote for *ush then maybe I could figure out a way to convince them how foolish and dangerous their vote is to our country.

If my calling you on your prejudice and stereotyping is mean, so be it.

[Fluffdaddy]

13. I never been a Louisiana fan eitherNo help from the south again this

year

[Dob Bole]

17. Disagree

We will get at least 40 EVs from the South. Put it in the bank.

And millions upon millions of Southerners will vote for Kerry, even in states where they don't get a majority.

[Dob Bole]

12. pro-life Democrats...

The Democratic Party in Louisiana is very strong compared to elsewhere in the Deep South. But it's also a very pro-life state and they elect pro-life politicians.

A similar parallell is Iowa, where something like 60% of caucus voters describe themselves as pro-life. Both rural Catholic states. That has more to do with it than any "Mason-Dixon racist" blah blah rhetoric that you'll hear in this thread.

[Moloch]

15. The results of the election will be dependent upon the Black vote

In 2002, Mary Landrieu (D) was re-elected, despite polls showing her trailing.....

In 2003, Kathleen Blanco (D) was elected governor, despite polls showing her trailing....

Clinton won Louisiana twice.

It all depends on our people voting, and I *DON'T* see apathy being a problem in this election.

[lsuguy]

19. I expect less, ummm, prejudice from DUers

A couple of the comments here smack of stereotypes, reductionism and prejudice towards those of us in Louisiana and the south. I always keep hoping that prejudice will diminish, and it surprises me when I see its ugly head among fellow liberal democrats... shame, shame..

Now, about my fair state down here..... Louisiana will be close on Nov. 2, but it is likely to go for Bush. Keep in mind, however, that LA is the most democratic of all the southern states. Kerry is not likely to carry any southern states, unless Clinton can turn the final tide in Arkansas. But Louisiana has two Democratic US Senators, all state-wide elected officials are Democrats, and we may be on the verge of electing the first black mayor of Baton Rouge, a quite conservative GOP stronghold.

Separate from the anti-southern stereotypes we read by some of you, why is LA not really in play this time around? Probably for many of the same reasons that Kerry is not in play hardly anywhere in the south. The south is conservative; and Kerry is seen as very different by many people here (Bush's line about Massachusetts Senators resonates here). Even though Kerry is a hunter and for the balanced budget, he could never be seen the way Clinton was seen here.

Having said that, I guarantee that Kerry will do better here than Gore did -- an amazing accomplishment in itself, given that Gore is also a southerner.

Louisiana will be close, probably not close enough though. But I'll be out working all day election day, and so will many, many others here in Louisiana.

But, hey, let's do a better job here of checking those prejudices and stereotypes, ok?

[Zorbet55]

22. I disagree with the prejudice lsuguy.

I understand your pride in the region, but you know that the basic premise of our voting tendencies do reflect some stupidity among our brothers and sisters. It makes me really mad when I see my state, Tennessee, offer up someone to the Senate like Bill Frist or give its electoral votes to GWB in 2000 and likely 2004. This is absurd. I have much more in common with the values of John Kerry of Massachusetts than George Bush and I think the Bushies of my state do as well. They just like to behave stupidly so as to be accepted by their redneck peers. JMO