[FormerlyAnotherLurker]

"...many prognosticators (including Larry Sabato, RealClearPolitics..."

I can't believe they're still around. An utterly worthless site.
Remember -

"October 30, 2000
RCP Electoral College Analysis: Bush 446 Gore 92"?

[gop_gene]

Going off on a little tangent here, but with Landrieu's victory last year (even tho' it was against another woman--who, from what I read here, was also whispered as being a "foreigner" and an "arab") and Blanco's recent one, the dems probably think they've finally found a winning strategy in the south--run moderate (or seemingly moderate, anyways) white women, which also includes Lincoln (what an illustrious surname for such a nondescript senator) in AR. And looks as if Betty Castor in FL and Inez Tennenbaum in SC are strong favorites to emerge out of their primaries at this point. Wouldn't be surprised if the dems yet try again to get Nunn's daughter (whatshername?) in GA to run.

[kms61]

Amite in the southeastern part of the state, not the north. And highlighting her Acadian ancestry probably helped in Cajun country, but would have meant little or nothing to north Louisiana voters.

Maybe this Tabin guy is on to something, but his shaky grasp of Louisiana's geography and culture doesn't inspire much confidence in his thesis.

[Az Joe]

Simple.

White female trumps non-white male in LA to this day.

[shrinkermd]

Iam shocked that the age difference was not considered important. Jindal was 32 his opponent 60. Many of the older generation are rightly or wrongly suspicious of young people who seem to be ambitious or on the political "make."

[CajunConservative]

As a Louisiana native, the real problem is the voters are just plain stupid here. It wasn't so much about race as it was fear of a young energetic college educated go getter. The majority of this state doesn't want to change. They like things the way they are.

If we get somebody in who might take us somewhere, they may have to change their ways and do something for themselves for a change.

[goldstategop]

Louisianans love Cajuns. Those who aren't well - they ain't real gumboheads.

[jpl]

I know that polling is of course an inexact science, but Jindal was up by 10% just a couple of days before the election. It's almost unheard of in a major election for someone to fall that far that fast, even when you factor in the undecided swing vote. It's pretty difficult not to come to the conclusion that a substantial number of people were lying to the pollsters about their intention to vote for Jindal.

[Smoke6]

I live in N. Louisiana... way up north near the ArKansas line.

The ad that killed Jindal was a wheelchair-bound former physician who said that Bobby Jindal's actions in cleaning up Medicaid in Louisiana "was a disaster for people" and that he caused great suffering. The tag line was this guy adding "oh, and by the way, I'M A STAUNCH REPUBLICAN".

Medicaid = "insurance" in Louisiana. The terms are used interchangeably. So the ads saying Bobby was going to rip off "insurance coverage" for thousands hit the average N. LA resident as "you're going to lose your [private] insurance". They never stopped to think, just voted to the left.

There were also ads stating that Jindal cost 70+ thousands their coverages when in fact, changes in the welfare act and an improved economy accounted for disqualification of many from Medicaid - er, "insurance".

Jindal & Co. failed miserably in countering those claims. And, imho, it cost him the election. Race had little to do with it. Age may have caused some to pause, but it was "insurance" that frightened them into pulling the Democratic lever.

My $0.02
Smoke6

[jedwardtremlett]

Well, this is kind of a shame. I was hoping this election would be the one to show that race DOESN'T matter, but no sooner than Jindal loses - by a very tight margin - do they start reminding us that David Duke almost became Governor there.

How about we just leave it at an age difference, and that she managed to project a less-than-complementary image over him at a critical juncture, and leave it at that?

J

[KantianBurke]

Was tentatively planning on a trip to Mardi Gras. After witnessing this state not onl electing an idiot Rat Senator but now a Gov., methinks I'll take my business elsewhere.

[dfwgator]

Most Louisianans would still vote for the "Kingfish" if they still had a chance. Idiot voters get what they deserve...a rat.

[BerniesFriend]

So how did Blanco win? By getting 40% of the white vote. That didn't come from New Orleans, where 70% of whites voted for Jindal, but from the poorer, more rural areas, where Blanco won 52% of the white vote -- a coup for a Democrat in culturally conservative areas. The Medicaid ad was well-tailored for this demographic; the speaker in the ad, a doctor who used to work in the public health system and is now in a wheelchair, ends his statement with the words, "'By the way, I'm a staunch Republican."

Actually, that ad was very embarassing..he was no more "a staunch Republican" than I am on a spaceship to the moon..but that ad had little to do with blanco's victory..again..rural parishes..those that had voted for duke in 91..magically voted for blanco..I guess they were inspired by pelosi's passionate speaches on the house floor.. yeah right..