Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

Democratic pickup in the Bayou

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Democrat John Bel Edwards has defeated Republican David Vitter in today’s runoff to become the next Governor of Louisiana, a state that has not elected a lot of statewide Dems in recent years.  The GOP Lt. Governor who had been a first round candidate actually endorsed Edwards over Vitter and the last numbers I heard gave Edwards a comfortable margin.

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  1. this is good news for Democrats in Louisiana and nationwide.

    Hillary was in Alabama this week addressing that states’ Democrats and was endorsed by the only Democrat in the Congressional delegation.

    We must build a 50 state strategy a la Governor Dean in order to be competitive in every state. No free rides for the con pukes anywhere !

    Onward to Victory in November !

    Fred Rich LaRiccia

  2. I’m glad he’s a Democrat. Still, there is much we don’t know about Mr. Edwards. We do know, according to various reports during the campaign, that he is an outspoken anti-abortionist and strong gun rights supporter.

    • So he will be a significantly more progressive or compassionate Governor to the bayou’s poor than Bobby Jindal or Vitter. When was the last time a
      Pro choice, pro gun control Democrat got elected to statewide office in the Deep South? It’s the economics that matter most to me, and that’s where we need to make inroads down there.

      • Somehow, we’ve allowed the term “liberal” to be re-defined. A liberal is somebody who favors governmental actions to promote economic justice. If Governor-elect Edwards uses executive action to provide 200,000 citizens with health insurance (with Medicaid expansion), then I am more than willing to hold my nose about his pro-gun, anti-abortion stance.

  3. Jindal and Vitter hate each other–so much that some people think Jindal quit his doomed Presidential race this week to steal headlines in Louisiana away from Vitter’s fearmongering on the Syrian refugee decision… which does move votes in Louisiana (as in many parts of America, sadly).
    Vitter & Co. sent out emails saying there was a Syrian refugee unaccounted for in Louisiana, which was a total lie because the man had left for DC to be with his family.
    And oddly enough, Wendy Vitter (Senator Vitter’s wife) is the legal counsel that would represent Catholic Charities, who is bringing in refugees.
    So, good riddance to David Vitter.

    • From the (Baton Rouge) Advocate:

      Vitter also committed some unforced errors that highlighted his reputation as someone who’d do anything to win. His primary-season attacks on [Republican Lt. Governor Jay] Dardenne and [Republican] Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle left such a bad taste that neither backed him in the runoff, and many of their supporters took the hint and looked elsewhere.

      Then there was the spying scandal, in which a Vitter-paid private investigator was caught conducting surveillance on an Edwards contributor and longtime Vitter adversary Newell Normand, the Republican sheriff from Vitter’s home of Jefferson Parish. Normand advertised his displeasure far and wide, and even cut an anti-Vitter super PAC commercial.

      Only in Louisiana…

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