Why did Louisiana go so solidly for McCain?

[tuvor]

He received 58.6% of the vote state-wide, and even more in several of the coastal counties.

Considering the way they were mistreated post-Katrina, I'm puzzled. Not just that he won, but that he won so handily.

[PBS Poll-435]

1. Not everyone has returned to New Orleans.

The next census should be interesting.

[dbackjon]

3. That was my thought

1/2 million or more black voters no longer in the state.

[GreenPartyVoter]

10. Agreed. The demographics have changed, I think

[NOLALady]

16. If New Orleans had all of her people back,

I still don't think we would have come close. It is so sad. Louisiana comes in last for everything. Yet, they insist on voting against their interests.

[PBS Poll-435]

18. It certainly would have been closer...

The margin was only like 360K votes.

[whathappened]

2. maybe

all the farmers north of the coast and the citys north of the coast

[Bucky]

4. The Force is weak in that one.

"That one"--gee, it feels funny using that phrase for their side.

[BrklynLiberal]

5. My wild guess would be ignorance and racism.

I wonder how many of the original population that were there during the hurricane, never returned.

Mississippi should have also rejected McSame.

Most of the coastal counties of Texas went blue..

Here is a county by county electoral map of the US
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/results.htm

[RollWithIt]

6. Shipped our voters to Texas and other parts unknown after Katrina....

That's why. But in the long run, by 2012 Texas will be a battleground state again.

[NOLALady]

11. Oh Yeah.

Ex Louisianians will help to make a difference by 2012. It will be so sweet.

[Botany]

7. Lots of:

[TxBlue]

8. Same as OKla

[NoSheep]

9. You've got that right. I count a relative among them.

[yellodawgDem]

13. hear ye hear ye

let the truth be known.... lots and lots of pwt

[OBrien]

12. easy answer to easy questions

Louisiana is racist. I lived there for 23 yrs. Take a step outside of New Orleans is frighting

[marimour]

14. a lot of AA's stayed in Houston or Atlanta post Katrina

[NOLALady]

15. From the site

"Democrats had hoped that a large black turnout in south Louisiana, especially New Orleans, might give Obama an edge. But analysts said strong black turnout was outpaced by heavy white turnout. And in Louisiana, the contest hinged on racial views, analysts said, with whites going for McCain and blacks for Obama. Louisiana is a majority white state."

That's it in a nutshell. They are known for voting against their interests. My parish voted 75% for McCain. I figured it would be bad, but I really didn't want to believe that I'm surrounded by idiots. I really thought/hoped it might be closer. That would have been a sign of progress. I was so wrong. Their kids are bragging about how Louisiana supported McCain.

Katrina? Tim Wise asked some McCain voters who did they feel was responsible for the Katrina fiasco...they did not feel the administration was at fault.

[Whoa20]

17. in LA and AR, he actually IMPROVED from Bush

which is worth noting. He was the exact same in Oklahoma too, and much of Appalachia.

[hay rick]

19. 2008 results explained?

Look at the results by states and then look at median incomes. Here's one link to income info:http://www.ask.com/bar?q=median+income+by+state&page=1&qsrc=121&ab=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.census.gov%2Fhhes%2Fwww%2Fincome%2Fincome04%2Fstatemhi.html

10 richest states by median income (in order): New Hampshire, New Jersey, Maryland, Connecticut, Minnesota, ALASKA, Virginia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Colorado. 9 blue, 1 red.

10 poorest states: West Virginia, Mississippi, Arkansas, Montana, Louisiana, Kentucky, NEW MEXICO, Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee. 9 red, 1 blue.

Coincidence? I don't think so. The only excitement in the Republican campaign was Sarah Palin and all her rowdy friends. They ended the campaign by carpet-bombing the airways with Rev. Wright ads. They went after every last redneck vote and likely succeeded. Their strategy just didn't work in enough places. They may have finally underestimated the American voter.

[darius15]

20. He only got 14% of the white vote, compared to Kerry's 24%. And less AA voters than 04.

[TheKentuckian]

21. Coonasses are crazy

[Whoa20]

22. this is actually worrisome

not to be a "concern troll," but if in 2012, Obama's not seen as "fresh" and non-status quo as he is now, the young vote won't go as heavily to him, and if he loses Latino votes, because his white vote is as bad as Kerry's, Obama will be in trouble. He should really try to work on the white vote.

[darius15]

23. Whites in the Deep South backed McCain 90-10. Other than there, they went 50-50, which is great for

a Democrat.

[elshiva]

24. Thanks for bringing this topic up. Our family was wondering about

that, too. I think I understand what the other posters are saying. A lot of the poorer and African-American voters are no longer living in Louisiana. That explains a lot. Thanks again.