In the last 2 years, Louisiana has seen two strong Democrats resist powerful Bush Backed contendors and win narrow victories. First, Senator Landrieu beat out Suzie Terrel in a close fought senatorial race in 2002, bucking the trend set a month earlier. Second, Gov. Kathleen Blanco sucker punched Bobby Jindal for the governor's race and became a most rare commodity, a female Democratic Southern Governor. Recent polls indicate Blanco's approval above 60% still in our state, and she's an honest centrist who is making being Democrat okay again in Louisiana.
We have a hot race down here for John Breaux's senate seat, and a few house seats which are toss-ups because of it, including Chris John's seat, Billy Tauzin's seat and David Vitter's seat. Unlike what I had worried, it doesn't appear Team Kerry has given up on our little bayou state. He's playing down here.
First came the news that his massive ad buy included 2 states outside the routine 17. These were Arizona and Louisiana. I've seen the two positive ads running on my local evening news the last few days, and in my opinion, these are the types of ads which play best down here. They resemble the ads Blanco ran during her race, Positive and Biographical.
Today I noticed he's got two big events in our state this weekend too! First, tomorrow afternoon, May 7th, he'll be in Downtown Baton Rouge as the Keynote speaker for Gov. Blanco's Democratic Family Jambalaya Jamboree at 4:30. If you're in town, or in Driving distance, make the trip and see your future President making a play in an otherwise forgotten state. Then the next day, he's making the Commencement Address at Southern University of New Orleans. This may be a typo since I think Southern is in Baton Rouge, at least last time I checked, but they may have a New Orleans campus too. Regardless, both choices of venue are fantastic.
The Jamboree is a great way to sure up the base among the elite in our state. Louisiana is a very elite controlled state, and if you get the 'machine' working for you, you will have a chance come fall to really make a play to the population. This choice is encouraging because it shows that they are listening to people like Gov. Blanco who know how to win in Louisiana, by virtue of wooing the majority democratic population to have the balls again to vote Democrat. The second is great as well because Southern is a Historically Black University, and if there is one constant to winning in Louisiana as a Democrat, that constant is to energize and turn out the African American vote in New Orleans.
Overall, I'm happy to see Kerry spending a little time down here, this is a state that can be thrown into play, and can knock Bushco off track a bit. Sure he needs to buy a home in Ohio and a P.O. Box in Pennsylvania, but you can overdo it. His time spent here will be wisely managed in my opinion, massaging the elite and working to the base.
Louisiana can be won in 2004! If he can win here, you can bet he'll win the election.
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