[StJacques]

Tauzin's loss is a big blow to us here in Louisiana. We came very close to locking down six out of the seven congressional districts for the Republican Party, now we must settle for five. We entered this year with four seats.

Tauzin ran one of the worst campaigns in recent memory here in Louisiana. In our General Primary on November 2 -- we have no political primaries -- he finished first and the sum total of votes for all Republican candidates was in the neighborhood of 57%. But during that primary campaign Tauzin sent a private mailing to Republican voters that accused a Republican opponent, Craig Romero of New Iberia, of something akin to a sodomy charge that left Romero and his backers enraged beyond words after they lost the runoff spot by less than 2% of the total vote. They turned on Tauzin and in the runoff election just held, his Democratic opponent Charles Melancon carried Iberia Parish [Romero's home parish] by a larger margin of votes than his victory in the entire race. Turnout was incredibly low district wide as well, which is in large part due to the purely negative nature of the campaign, as Tauzin never even attempted to establish a dialogue with voters and Melancon brought out details of a DWI conviction in Tauzin's past.

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.

[taxesareforever]

Isn't it surprising how the Republican candidates seem to always lose votes in a recount (Ref:Washington State)?

[Brilliant]

The fix is in.

[Cicero]

I don't know anything much about this race except what I've seen here, but I gather that Tauzin is a poor excuse for a candidate whose family connection is the only reason he was nominated. Although it's regretable to lose a Republican seat, it may be a good thing in the long run if Billy Tauzin leaves politics for some other line of business. Maybe next time they can find someone more qualified for the job.

[goldensky]

All in all, 2004 was a remarkable year for LA republicans. Bush and Vitter won, we have five of seven house seats, and the winning democrat ran commercials promising he was pro-life, anti gay marriage and has a 100% rating from the NRA. Plus, Blanco keeps the national party at arm's length. LA will eventually be as conservative as the rest of the South. Well done, LA freepers, you should be proud.

[AuH2ORepublican]

The seat was Billy Tauzin III's to lose, and he proceeded to do just that. I hope every Republican in the district rallies around state Senator Romero in 2006 and we can retake the district, thus controlling 6 of the 7 House seats in Louisiana.

I recall how some FReepers were saying that Senator John Breaux could basically walk on water in Lousiana, and that his endorsement was worth its weight in gold, using the narrow wins during the past couple of years by Mary Landrieu and Kathleen Blanco in 2002 and 2003, respectively, as evidence. But this year Breaux endorsed young Billy in the 3rd CD, Chris John in the Senate race, and Zelma Blakes in the 5th CD (and maybe Willie Mount in the 7th CD as well), and they all lost. Seems like the Breaux endorsement wasn't all that it was cracked up to be.

[Dog Gone]

The Louisiana results were just the opposite of what I had expected from my out of state perspective. I thought Tauzin would win on name recognition, and I thought they would hold John's seat.

[MHT]

This is too bad--but maybe like the fellow who ran for governor, he, too, will come back to run again and win the next time!

[Flux Capacitor]

----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