Louisiana 1987

[jimrtex]

Here is the individual breakdown.



Roemer and Edwards were the only two to top 10% in every parish.  Roemer's victory was sealed by overwhelming margins in the northwest around Shreveport, including 70%+ in Bossier Parish.



The top Edwards parishes were over 40%.  It was a bit odd that Edwards didn't contest the runoff, hoping to pick up more votes in the southeast.



Outside the New Orleans suburbs, the 20% areas are Baton Rouge, Alexandria, and Monroe.



Alternate title: Where do Cajuns live.

[jimrtex]

Louisiana holds its gubernatorial elections in odd years, which permits representatives to run without giving up their House seats.  It does not have party primaries, but has an all-comers elections which candidates from all parties can contest.  If no candidate gets a majority, a runoff is held between the top 2 vote getters.

Billy Tauzin (Jr), Cajun from Thibodeaux, US Representative from 1980-2005, switched from Democrat to Republican in 1995.  His son, Billy Tauzin III was narrowly defeated in an attempt to succeed him.

Buddy Roemer, from Shreveport, US Representative for 1981-1988 when elected Governor.  Switched to the Republican party in 1991, and failed to be re-elected.

Robert Livingston, from New Orleans, US Representative from 1977-1999, Republican.  He had been chosen as Speaker of the House after Newt Gingrich resigned, but he in turn resigned after it was revealed that he had had an extra-marital affair.

Edwin Edwards, Cajun from Marksville.  US Representative from 1965-1972.  Governor from 1972-1980, 1984-1988, 1992-1996.  Flamboyant populist, "Fast Eddie" liked high stakes gambling.  In both the latter two terms, he defeated the candidate who had defeated him 4 years earlier.   He was twice acquitted of federal charges, before finally being convicted in 2000.  He has been in prison since 2002.

The 1991 runoff was against putative Republican David Duke, and was cited in opposition to 2004 ballot initiatives in California and Washington to adopt California style elections.  If California and Washington adopted the Louisiana-system, it would supposedly make their gubernatorial elections the laughing stock of the country.   Californians were concerned that it might lead to elections with dozens of candidates in which a womanizer, body builder, and action movie star was elected.  Washingtonians were concerned that it could take months to count the votes, and votes would be found in the state's major city weeks after the election, and there would be numerous instances of dead people voting as well as people voting multiple times.

[jimrtex]

If California and Washington adopted the Louisiana-system, it would supposedly make their gubernatorial elections the laughing stock of the country.   Californians were concerned that it might lead to elections with dozens of candidates in which a womanizer, body builder, and action movie star was elected.  Washingtonians were concerned that it could take months to count the votes, and votes would be found in the state's major city weeks after the election, and there would be numerous instances of dead people voting as well as people voting multiple times.

Not funny. I don't know about California, but 60% of Washington State voted for the top two primary last year. The only two counties to even come close to voting against it (less than 55%) were San Juan and King counties, which were also Gregoire's best counties. The courts threw it out.

The argument against 872 (by the League of Women Voters in the Voter's Guide) says:

Vote No on I-872! Don’t be fooled. I-872 creates a Louisiana-style primary

The voter's guide for the 34th District Democrats refers to the measure as the Cajun primary measure.

I hadn't realized that the federal district court had overturned the law.  The briefs, court order, etc. are at

Top Two Party Litigation

The case Washington State Republican Party v. Dean Logan is presently being appealed to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, and presumably will be appealed to the US Supreme Court.

The judge ruled essentially that 872 violates the 1st Amendment right of association of political parties, since it permits non-adherents of a party to participate in the nomination of the party's candidates, and may result in the nomination of a candidate that is not representative of the party's beliefs and values.

It probably didn't help that 872 brought so much baggage from the old blanket primary law that had just been thrown out by the courts.   The Grange argued that the ballot would look just like the old ballots.   Washington law makes a distinction between partisan and non-partisan elections, and the measure attempted to re-define a partisan election as one in which candidates could carry the name of party on the ballot, rather than a contest between nominees of parties.  And the state argued that the measure might be preserved if the names of parties were removed from the ballot.