Tauzin loses votes in official tally

". . . the demographics of Louisiana could be changing in favor of the Republicans. . . ."

You're right on this one though the point bears some qualification. Back in the mid-1980's Louisiana suffered a terrible economic blow when the price of oil plummeted and the oil industry in our state nearly collapsed, which in turn hurt just about every other sector of our economy. What began then was what demographers describe as "outmigration" of Louisiana residents seeking jobs elsewhere. And these "migrants" were our people. They were largely young, educated workers to well-educated professionals, with families either growing or starting, and Republican-leaning in their voting behavior. It seems this trend has run its course, though we still have a lot of our college graduates who leave, but this is now balanced to some degree by the slow but steady development of high-tech industries in some of our more prosperous urban areas; particularly Lafayette, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport, which are in fact attracting some out-of-staters to come here. We have also seen some slight growth in export trade that has had some positive effects as well. So the "demographics" as they affect Republicans are that the population is relatively stable with brighter economic prospects for the most part and voters are trending in our direction.

"Isn't Louisiana also drawing young retirees? My husband and I almost bought property, until a hurricane nearly destroyed the island. . . ."

Were you thinking about buying property on Grand Isle? I know that there are some developers advertising it as a retiree paradise, but I wouldn't do that. Grand Isle experienced one of the worst hurricanes in recorded history in 1909.

There have been others on offshore islands in Timbalier Bay and the Isles Dernières that are tantamount to "ghost stories" you tell around the campfire as well. No; don't retire to an offshore island in Louisiana. Ask yourself why the locals don't live there.

----Even though we won a big one Saturday when Republican Charles Boustany of Lafayette -- my home town -- beat Democrat Willie Landry Mount to take away the 7th congressional district seat that had been held by Democrat Chris John, the Tauzin loss is a great disappointment, because we could have just sewn up this state's congressional delegation for the Republican Party for good. We came so close.----

It is indeed disappointing, but look at it this way: Melancon's was a fluke win in solid Republican territory, while Boustany's win was a continuance of emerging Republicanism in traditional Democratic territory.

The 2nd District is Republican country, and Melancon's win doesn't change that. After all the two Republicans did to carve one another up, in what could very well have been THE nastiest congressional race of 2004, the Democrat's margin of victory was only 500 votes. A Democrat holding La's CD-02 is like two Democrats holding at-large congressional seats in North and South Dakota (two do). Their presences are aberrations -- especially in Melancon's case -- in solid Republican country.

Boustany's ten-point win of CD-07 is the race to look at. For the FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF THIS STATE, a Republican won this district, and though intraparty fighting on the Democrats' side did play a role in the win, Boustany's ten-point margin is only the most recent sign of fundamental realignment in an area that once gave the state John Breaux and EDWIN EDWARDS. Did you know that no Democratic presidential candidate has carried Lafayette Parish in 40 years? It's true. And with KKKathleen Bubbaneaux Blanco unable to win her own hometown last year, and Chris John unable to take it this year, Lafayette is becoming more and more of a problem for Democrats in statewide races.

Considering this, along with Vitter's outright Senate win and Bush's 15-point victory in the face of KKKathleen Bubbaneaux Blanco's embarrassing cheerleading for John F'n Kerry, the Republicans definitely captured the glory in Louisiana this year. And it's about damned time.

-Dan

". . . . Considering this, along with Vitter's outright Senate win and Bush's 15-point victory in the face of KKKathleen Bubbaneaux Blanco's embarrassing cheerleading for John F'n Kerry, the Republicans definitely captured the glory in Louisiana this year. And it's about damned time."

It's long overdue in fact. And you're right about Lafayette becoming the bastion of the Republican Party here in Louisiana. I had a conversation with my Mom about this earlier this week. In 1971 my Mom became the Parish Coordinator for the Republican Party here in Lafayette back when the total percentage of registered voters here who listed themselves as "Republican" was 9%. And she was very sure of the figure, remembering her first Parish PAC meeting at which they undertook a voter registration drive. She served in the post for two years during which time they managed to raise that figure to 15% and she recently had a conversation with one of the "old guard" within the parish Republican organization who has been fighting the good fight for about forty years who told her that she was there "when things began to turn in our favor," something that warmed her heart as she looked over the voting returns, something she takes a great interest in I might add. My Mom says that it was the "oil patch," meaning the various people who worked in the oil business, who turned things around for us here. They were a hard-working, no-nonsense, speak-the-truth bunch of folks; many of whom were from out-of-state, who gave generously of their time and money to move the party forward here. After that burst of growth, it became a slow process of winning over the local Cajun folk and, as my Mom puts it, "that was never going to happen until we got past Edwin Edwards."

A couple of minor points to add here:

The Melancon-Tauzin race was in the 3rd congressional district. Jefferson is the congressman representing the 2nd.

I do agree that the 3rd congressional district race may have been the "nastiest" in the country this year and I also believe that is Tauzin's fault. I'm guessing he felt he had a better chance of winning if he was THE Republican candidate in the runoff rather than the "better of two" Republicans. And he might have been right, because I believe that Democrats would have chosen Romero over Tauzin, since Romero has some pretty close ties to Kathleen Blanco.

On Lafayette rejecting hometown girl Kathleen Blanco -- it tells you something about her, doesn't it? The people who know her best want her come home and shut up. I am really looking forward to 2007 when we can take back the Governor's chair. And I believe we will if we can just get a good candidate to run. Maybe Jindal will try again.

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