Posted on 05/03/2008 9:38:21 PM PDT by Clintonfatigued
Democrat Don Cazayoux has won a special congressional election, bolstering his party's majority status on Capitol Hill and taking a seat held by Republicans since 1974.
Cazayoux, a state lawmaker, beat Republican Woody Jenkins to cap a campaign that drew attention and cash from the national parties and from interest groups in Washington. The seat opened when Republican Richard Baker, a 20-year incumbent, resigned to take a lobbying job.
With all precincts reporting, Cazayoux had 49 percent to 46 percent for Jenkins, a community newspaper publisher.
(Excerpt) Read more at ap.google.com ...
This is really, really bad. If it’s a preview of things to come, than maybe I should quit studying politics and find a new hobby.
The only hope is the presidency; the Congress is lost for quite a while.
I won’t try to sugarcoat it, but Woody Jenkins was a horribly weak candidate. He rubbed a lot of people the wrong way over the years, and a lot of Republican voters stayed home or voted for the third party candidate. If the GOP can come up with a halfway palatable challenger in November, they can take this seat right back.
Now if the seat in MS turns Democrat, too, it will start to look more like a trend.
I’ll also add that I’m not sure Casey’s presence in the race lost it for Jenkins. I’ve heard a lot of people say they voted for her in lieu of not voting at all, so I don’t know how many votes she actually took away from Jenkins.
I don't live anywhere near the district, so I can't comment on the sentiment, but statistically it is extremely unlikely that Casey was a spoiler. Something like 95% of her votes would have had to have got to Jenkins to throw the election in his favor, and that seems beyond improbable.
This news is most disturbing. Democrat John Rarick, arguably the most conservative Congressman of his day, held the district from 1967 to 1975. He was defeated in the 1974 Democratic primary by Jeff La Caze, a “National Democrat,” who was, in turn, defeated by a Republican.
Was Jenkins a RINO?
Here in Calif, our Governor is a RINO who has stabbed conservatives in the back regularly. No way he will get our votes again, despite the Dem candidates being all but first cousins of Fidel Castro.
No, he’s very conservative, but from what I hear has had some questionable business dealings, and has something of an abrasive personality. This is just what I hear a lot of people say. At any rate, a lot of people just flat don’t like him for whatever reason.
And that’s why the USA’s gonna suffer real real bad. People expect way too much, or else they bolt and say ‘see, we’d rather have a real communist than you!’.
It’s insane. Truly insane.
If you did that, who would ping me to these threads? ;o)
Seriously, it's looking bad for sure...depressingly bad.
However, we can't give up without a fight.
I’m afraid you might be right.
I’m not giving up yet, though.
Welcome to Free Republic!
In that case there is no hope with three Democrats still standing.
The difference on this race were former Orleans Parish residents who now live in Baton Rouge and E. Baton Rouge Parish.
Nonsense. The rat ran as a “conservative” cajun hickocrat and idiot voters fell for that.
Coxayou: Queen Nancy will lower your gas prices through magic!
Dumb voter: Duh okay.
Stupid Republican: I’m depressed, I think I’ll stay home and not vote. (to daughter) sure honey go ahead and eat that broken glass.
Got it in one. And if he falls away from that image when he gets to Congress, he won't last.
Doesn’t this race go to a run-off, since nobody got at least 50 percent?
I always thought it took 50% to win in LA. Silver lining: The last polls had Woody down by 10 points.
No runoff........
For anyone interested here is a precinct breakout of the voting results....
http://media.2theadvocate.com/documents/election050308.pdf
Dammit. They need to stop running these weak candidates then. Now the Democrats from here forth will be favored for this seat unless and until we take it back. Incumbents have HUGE advantages I don’t care if the district leans one way or other on general principle. Look at Murtha for crying out loud.
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