Republican Wins Louisiana Governor’s Race
Well, I thought we were in an era of GOP decline. But, as I arrive in Salina, Kansas, I read that Republican Bobby Jindal was just elected Governor of Louisiana, a pickup for the GOP. He won with over 50% of the vote against 11 opponents, “more than enough to win outright and avoid a Nov. 17 runoff.” I guess citizens of the Bayou State aren’t blaming the GOP for the flawed response to Hurricane Katrina.
His closest competitor, Democrat Walter Boasso didn’t even reach half the Republican’s total.
Look for Jindal, soon to become the nation’s youngest Governor, to be a rising star in the GOP. A principled conservative, he is the son on Indian immigrants.
Coupled with Jim Ogonowski’s “near upset” in Massaschusetts’ Fifth Congressional District earlier this week, Jindal’s victory indicates that we should not yet count the GOP out for 2008. Ogonowski ran well despite visits from such Democratic celebrities as Bill Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Tedy Kennedy and John Kerry in a district the latter carried by 16 points.
Read Michael Barone’s piece on the Massachusetts special where that sage pundit notes that the Republican did well running against the Democratic Congress, “the first time since 1994 that Republicans have been able to campaign against a Democratic Congress” and for “holding down taxes.”
Sounds like a recipe for GOP candidates to follow in the coming year. And if they run as far ahead of W’s 2004 numbers as did Jim Ogonowski, we could see a banner year for the GOP in 2008.
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It is a bit of good news. However, with so many resignations in both chambers it´s going to be an uphill climb. It would have been better if those who would have been reelected stayed on and once seated for the new term resign and allow the apointee to develop a track record to earn election on his or her own merits. I thought that is what Connie Mack should´ve done in Florida. He chose not to run and his seat went to a Democrat. I´ll bet the Democrats are licking their chops expecting to puckup New Mexico, Colorado, and Virginia. I would like to think that Idaho is so safe that the party could put up an orangutan and win.
Comment by Roberto — October 21, 2007 @ 11:59 am - October 21, 2007
We can’t read much into Jindal’s win or Ogonowski’s near miss. Off-year elections are not predictive of general elections. For one thing, the off-year electorate is usually whiter and more Republican than the general electorate.
In 2008, the fundamentals — history, money, intensity, candidate recruitment, etc. — look bad for us. Next will be a rough one for Republicans, Jindal’s victory notwithstanding.
Comment by Paul — October 21, 2007 @ 12:42 pm - October 21, 2007
Opps! That should read “Next year will be …”
Comment by Paul — October 21, 2007 @ 12:43 pm - October 21, 2007
Rep. Bobby Jindal wins Louisiana governor’s race…
It was a good day yesterday for Republicans, and an especially good day for Louisiana as Rep. Bobby Jindal was elected Saturday as governor:
BATON ROUGE, La. – U.S. Rep. Bobby Jindal easily defeated 11 opponents and became the state’s first nonwh…
Trackback by Sister Toldjah — October 21, 2007 @ 3:59 pm - October 21, 2007
Jindal/Palin 2016! (or 2012)
Comment by V the K — October 21, 2007 @ 5:21 pm - October 21, 2007
Bobby Jindal Wins In Louisiana…
Future President Bobby Jindal was elected our nation’s youngest governor — and the first Indian-American to ever reach such an office. The Republican Congressman will replace the incompetent Kathleen Blanco, whose failures during Hurricane Katrina le…
Trackback by Rhymes With Right — October 21, 2007 @ 6:28 pm - October 21, 2007
Jindal’s win is actually good news — but not just for your partisan purposes — for all of us who despise corruption (of which the LA Dems have plenty) and root for the right person (even of the opposite party) who might, just might, clean it up. So enjoy a good partisan win, but don’t read too much into it for ’08 — for all the reasons stated in the first comment.
Comment by KYKid — October 21, 2007 @ 6:34 pm - October 21, 2007
Now why can’t someone like Jindal run for the Senate in my state? We may not see eye-to-eye on everything, but I’d seriously consider voting for him. Congrats to the good people of Louisiana!
Comment by John — October 21, 2007 @ 6:40 pm - October 21, 2007
Hmm, maybe the good people of Louisiana took after France, and decided they no longer wanted to be led down the path of socialist ruin, and incapability to be accountable for one’s own actions. There may be hope for the human race, afterall.
Comment by LesbianNeoCon — October 22, 2007 @ 12:44 pm - October 22, 2007
#9
Let’s not forget NJ though.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — October 22, 2007 @ 2:43 pm - October 22, 2007
#10 – good point. Nevermind #9. 😉
Comment by LesbianNeoCon — October 22, 2007 @ 4:38 pm - October 22, 2007
Meanwhile, another Republican has been caught cruising a public restroom.
Comment by HardHobbit — October 22, 2007 @ 11:48 pm - October 22, 2007
#12: creepiest post ever
Comment by American Elephant — October 23, 2007 @ 12:24 am - October 23, 2007
#2. Sorry, but you cant have your cake and eat it too. It doesnt work to simultaneously claim that Democrats have voter intensity in their favor and yet the Republican won because more Republicans turned out to vote than Democrats.
The conventional wisdom that Democrats are going to clean up in 08 is wrong and Jindals victory puts the lie to it. We are supposedly in the midst of stronger anti-republican sentiment than at any time in living history and yet a very conservative republican just won in a state that has been overwhelmingly Democrat for decades.
Democrats are counting on (and the electorate at this point is thinking in terms of) beating Bush in 08. But Bush isnt going to be on the ballot. Hillary is. And that is an enormous factor in republicans favor.
Comment by American Elephant — October 23, 2007 @ 12:41 am - October 23, 2007
#14 I hope you´re right. Not everybody votes a straight ticket. Democrats could very well pickup senate seats in New Mexico, Colorado Oregon, and Virginia while Hilary goes down in flames. As I stated above I think Idaho is safe. With the rash of congressmen not seeking reelection, we need another Newt Gingrich to craft a new Contract with America and a new cast of candidates like Bobby Jindal.
Comment by Roberto — October 23, 2007 @ 9:54 am - October 23, 2007
Lets see if that’s still your talking point when Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher loses in a landslide in a couple weeks.
It’s amazing to me that anyone thinks an incumbent party with a President that has had sub 50% job approval for nearly his entire second term, with a current job approval rating in the 25-30% range, could hold the White House in an upcoming election. Especially when said party is likely to be running against the establishment of the opposing party for the past 20 years.
So let’s be frank: The Clinton’s aren’t going to lose.
Comment by Chase — October 23, 2007 @ 1:31 pm - October 23, 2007
No question that Hillary will win in a landslide. Her negatives are near zero. All women adore her. Bill is a refreshing breath of air blown in from through the window to the past. The White House will be the stage set for “The View.” It will be Camelot III and the economy will soar, the homeless will disappear (from the news) and there will be amnesty across the land. There will be peace in the valley and no transfats. Sandy Berger will be Attorney General, John Kerry at Defense, Nancy Pelosi at State, Harry Reid at Treasury, John Murtha at Homeland Security, Cynthia McKinney at Health and Human Services, Tom Lantos at FBI working with John Conyers at CIA, Charles Schumer as White House Chief of Staff and Jessie Jackson, Jr. at OMB.
Bring her on, the crown awaits!
Comment by Heliotrope — October 24, 2007 @ 12:20 pm - October 24, 2007
What one must remember when considering Chase’s commentary is that Democrats like himself are simply ignoring all the embarrassing questions, like how Chinese immigrants working at slave wages at establishments linked to international organized-crime and person-smuggling operations can afford to give thousands of dollars to her campaign.
Or the fact that Hillary’s views on immigration represent complete amnesty and free healthcare and education for illegal immigrants, at the expense of American taxpayers.
Meanwhile, Chase’s babble against Ernie Fletcher misses two things:
— Fletcher was indicted last year on corruption charges
— Fletcher’s challenger is touting his Baptist credentials, opposes same-sex marriage, and is openly stating that Kentucky needs to preserve and protect marriage.
In short, the Democrat challenger is so pathetic that, even when the Republican is under indictment, the challenger still has to show how he adheres to what Chase calls “Republican values”.
One wonders what the results would be like if he actually ran on the Democrat Party platform of antireligious bigotry, promoting abortion, promoting gay families who dress up their children in fetish gear and take them to sex fairs, and complete amnesty for all illegal immigrants, including criminals.
Comment by North Dallas Thirty — October 24, 2007 @ 3:57 pm - October 24, 2007
Bobby is a good man!
Comment by LSU FOOTBALL — December 24, 2007 @ 4:42 am - December 24, 2007