Louisiana: From political bellwether to republican stronghold

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-1-2009

Abstract

For nearly four decades, voters in Louisiana have backed the winner of the presidential election, but in 2008 the state deviated from this trend, and the result was not even close. Republican John McCain led Democrat Barack Obama by double digits in polls throughout the summer and fall, and neither major party candidate invested significant amounts of time or resources in the state. This is a departure from previous presidential races where the state's electoral votes have often been up for grabs. While the election results damaged Louisiana's reputation as a bellwether, it did bring the state in line with other southern states that have generally supported Republican presidential nominees. While Louisiana was not a battleground in 2008, the state did attract some national attention in other ways. First, early in the election cycle New Orleans served as a backdrop for candidates interested in highlighting the past missteps of the Bush Administration. And in the weeks leading up to the Republican convention, speculation swirled around the state's popular governor, Bobby Jindal, as a possible vice presidential choice. In terms of candidate attention to voters, however, Louisiana citizens received far less than residents in other states. While the state's primaries were held before either nomination was sewn up, these contests occurred just four days after Super Tuesday so much of the candidates' resources were directed elsewhere. However, Mike Huckabee's unexpected win caught the attention of both parties and demonstrated the continued importance of social conservatives within the Republican Party. The prevailing view by late spring was that Louisiana was firmly in the Republican column, and neither party's nominee expended much effort in the state. In the end, McCain won the election with 58.6 percent of the total vote-the largest victory by a presidential contender in Louisiana since Reagan's reelection in 1984. © 2009 by The University of Arkansas Press. All rights reserved.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

A Paler Shade of Red: The 2008 Presidential Election in the South

First Page

67

Last Page

82

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