Congratulations to Don Cazayoux!
For the last 2 weeks the Republican Party and a GOP front group, Freedom's Watch, has been pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into deceptive TV smears linking conservative Democrat Don Cazayoux to Rev. Wright via Obama. But last night Louisiana voters just scratched their heads and voted against the Bush Regime/McCain agenda. This is a district (LA-06)-- centered on Baton Rouge-- that has a PVI of R +10 and gave Bush 59% of the vote in 2006. Cazayoux took 49,702 votes (49.20%) to extreme right-wing Republican Woody Jenkins' 46,741 votes (46.27%). This ups the Democratic margin in the House 235-198. You think the congressional Republicans are nervous? Keep this in mind-- when Alf Landon only got 36.6% of the vote in 1936 so many Republican members of Congress were defeated that only 17 senators were left standing!
UPDATE: DCCC Chair Chris Van Hollen and Speaker Pelosi congratulate Don.
Van Hollen: For the second time this cycle, Republicans were reminded that 'all politics is local.' House Republicans tried to nationalize this election, illegally coordinated with Freedom's Watch, used false and deceptive special interest smears, and funneled nearly a million dollars into a district that Republicans held for more than three decades. Don won by focusing on the concerns of LA-06 voters -- good paying jobs, affordable health care, and better education.
No surprise there.
Lets see how well the electronic voting machines treat the R's in the fall first.
and didnt that debacle for the Republicans come after a certain economic type crunch that we might be heading into now !
nervous they should be.
Floridiot @ 2:
Amen . brother
I wonder what effect, if any, this will have on the superdelegates?
Go America! Let's toss the bastards out of office, and if the incoming Democrats don't serve the people, we need to KEEP TOSSING THEM out until we find some decent politicians that do.
It just doesn't seem that complex...."to serve the people and uphold the Constitution". Damn it, show some balls.
4 bushisaliar
Amen . brother
Would it sound oxymoronic to say Agirl. brother?
Floridiot @ 2:
And let's see how the landslide Dem turnout treats them. Diebold chicanery is only good for the really close ones. We will be watching closely your tactics, Diebold & Co. Moles already are.
The Repubs in LA were harping on the incredibly bs connection of Cazayoux to Wright/Obama ad naseum because they were told to. Look for this tired meme to be beaten raw beyond any news value in the Repub- bought MSM through Nov '08.
People are waking up.
All the good people ... stand strong.
ysbaddaden @ 5:
You would think not much as I'm sure he would have had to do the same thing even if Hillary was the frontrunner as the republicks keep trying to paint both Hillary and Barack as "far left extremists" (hilarious as Dems would be considered a conservative party in most of the world), notice that the article labels him a conservative Dem.
If these Repug patriots decide to "retire" as many already plan to do, what is their Govt. retirement benefits---for life? Health care? Pensions (for outstanding service)? Other perks? Well who cares, they will be gone at a relative reasonable cost.
Maybe this is the first indication that the Wright smears against Democratic candidates will backfire. WAKE UP AMERICA! WAKE UP!
http://jviz.blogspot.com/2008/04/jeremiah-wright-and-barack-obama.html
Throughout history, populations have put their loyalty into certain "brands" of politicians, only to be deeply disenfranchised and bitter in the end, when they are duped once more into believing some hero politician will come forward with all the magical answers to every one of life's mysteries.
And in disagreeing with my POV, you will prob find posters saying "well, they are better than the alternative" or "the lesser of two evils" type of mantra. We have evolved into a telemarketers salesperson's dream. We'll buy anything if said the right way by the right person. Case in point? Hillary Clinton is STILL anywhere near Obama in votes/percentages/delegates. In the old school days, when a politician was caught lying repeatedly, they were done. Now, they get a surge in popularity. No wonder Bush was selected twice. Sigh.
No matter what criticisms can rightfully or wrongfully be leveled at Cazayoux (Lieberman clone, etc), Democrats should be thrilled that Woody Jenkins was beaten. Hopefully he won't raise his ugly head again in the next U.S. Senate race. Or gubernatorial election. Or dog catcher for that matter.
Pontchartrain Pete @ 13:
Amen to that.Jenkins is not worthy of election to village ratkiller.
How's the NOLA Jazz Fest been going these past few days?
Here's how the Repugs are trying to spin this: press release from the far right. Basically they say their strategy of tying Cazayoux to Reverend Wright worked because they closed the gap and they just need to do it more in the future! Of course, that's a lie. Coming out of the open primary, Cazayoux and Woody-KKKpecker had the exact same percentages they had last night. All those millions of dollars the Repugs spent accomplished exactly nothing. But the guys who put the strategy together... well they want to keep their cushy jobs.
And Yet... @ 8:
IMO Diebold IS the biggest THREAT we face this Fall.
Let's hold the optimism. Here's a quote from Cazayoux's campaign website (http://www.doncazayoux.org/dc_issues.html):
"I hope to join a coalition knows as the Blue Dog Democrats".
So the enemy of my enemy is my friend? Oh good, more DINO's to join Hoyer & Pelosi. As he's a Blue Dog wantabe, I'm sure he'll get some plum committee assignments.
the msm will ignore the results and what they mean.
they have their "reality" and they're sticking to it.
in 1936 so many Republican members of Congress were defeated that only 17 senators were left standing!
and didnt that debacle for the Republicans come after a certain economic type crunch that we might be heading into now !
nervous they should be.
--------------------
Nervous you should be. Hoover was the father of The New Deal. Hoover intervened in the recession of 1930. Hoover raised taxes. Government intervention lead to a crash of the bond market in 1931.
Maybe some have noticed that as the Bernanke FED has taken bad debt on its books, that long term rates have gone up as the FED has intervened, instead of down, as they dropped short term rates. If the FED continues to do this, they will likely precipitate what occured in 1931, which made borrowing too expensive as long rates jumped up. Student loans are now being added to the guarantees.
Keep piling it on and the bond market will crash and cause a debt collapse.
I sent the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee donations before and after the win.
I hope all who are able will put their money where their political hopes are.
Good for him!
Some more quotes from Cazayoux's campaign website. Sounds like a Bush Dog / DINO.
"IMMIGRATION
I am strongly against amnesty for illegal immigrants. America is a nation of immigrants, but we also are a nation of laws. In Congress, I will fight to secure our borders and work to crack down on employers who knowingly hire illegal workers.
ABORTION
I am pro-life. This is a position that my wife and I share and its rooted in my faith. In the legislature, I supported one of the strongest pro-life laws in the country and in Congress, I will continue my work to protect the unborn.
2nd Amendment Rights
I strongly support the Second Amendment - it is a fundamental part of our Constitution. I own guns and hunt and believe we need to protect the gun ownership rights of law-abiding citizens. I am very proud to have an A rating from the NRA."
Congratulations to Don! Quite a coup against heavy odds!
(How I LOVE Louisiana names! Cazayoux! Cajan?)
You take the best that you can get and do what you can with it.
One thing the repukelicans can't deny- A huge number of incumbent republican seats are going to fall to the dems. in November and there's not a thing they can do to stop it!Tee Hee , Tee Hee!
This is good news, but we must continue to slam the R's on all their ills. Their alignment with the extreme religious right, the economy, the war, the gas and food crisis. We need to to all three of the government seats (President-House-Senate)
We need to clean house!
Now we are talking.. this is awesome. I pray.
It's a good sign that we can still win when they are pouring their dollars and advertising money into it. It gives me hope that the Diebold and Blackwater and Halliburton corporations don't have control over everything.
Geez folks, don't you follow The Blue Dogs? The Dem leadership CONTINUES bringing them into the Dem Party. Will someone tell my pea brain why they think a Right wing Dem is better than a Right wing Rep? Doesn't anybody follow their voting records? The Dem leadership cannot keep their party together precisely BECAUSE they bring these DLC, Blue Dogs, whatever you choose to call them. They vote with the Repubs every damn time, then the Dems whine cause they don't have the votes, this one will be NO different.
Still no impeachment, but I hear Conyers is gonna have a hearing. Yeah right there.
And Yet... @ 14:
Don't know what the numbers are yet. Bad weather the first weekend, but gorgeous yesterday and today. I know I had fun. Roundup of NOLA bloggers' reports at http://mybigeasy.com .
". . . good paying jobs, affordable health care, and better education." Three things that Republicans and "conservatives" will be wishing they had a better answer for than "tough love" and "compassion" when November comes around. And you thought it was tough being a Republican in 2006 . . .
Kay @ 31:
No kidding. Republicans are toast, but the interests which support them have just started joining (taking over?) the Dems. And they've been way too welcome. Reid/Pelosi/Clinton have had no problem ditching the "radical" or "anti'war" left. They have new friends now.
Still, it was a frighteningly close race--To think that 46% of the voters fell for the republican propaganda is appalling.
Damn.
He won in the deep south in a district that use to be controled by a Republican.
The GOP must be shitting their pants right now.
It's official.
NO REPUBLICAN DISTRICT IS NOW SAFE.
So the reps used the Rev. Wright issue on Cazayoux because basically thats the only issue in their favor, this election cycle, that they can use with southern racists in LA & Cazayoux still won the election in a previous die hard rep district!
The writing, no pun intended, is on the wall for the Nov. elections. Hell, Franken will probably win in MN also. The Obama coattails will loom large imo.
'nuf said!
Given the earlier statement in the article, "conservative Democrat Don Cazayoux", I don't think so. The Bush-Dog "Dems" let the GOP win important votes while being able to put the blame on the "majority" Dems.
What would Zeus do? @ 38:
Some people call anyone who doesn't jump for joy every time there's an abortion conservative.
True is Cazayoux may not be as liberal as I'd like but he is for us getting the hell out of Iraq so his election is a victory for the left.
Keep this in mind– when Alf Landon only got 36.6% of the vote in 1936 so many Republican members of Congress were defeated that only 17 senators were left standing!
you cannae beat a quality statistic!
He's probably a DINO but at least he has a D next to his name instead of an R.
"gave Bush 59% of the vote in 2006." You mean 2004.
Randy @ 24:
Maybe he is a bit more DINO than I would like, but it's better that a KKK corporate fascist (R), screwing the people at every turn. Let's not turn this victory into something bad.
♠Bangkok-Bob♠ @ 28:
Don't forget the SCOTUS. We need to add seats, so that the corporate fascist's Chimpy put in will be neutered.
In SWLA, all you heard about Cazayoux was that he was an evil Commie, if anyone even knew who he was. I don't like politicians in this state as a whole, they tend towards corruption to make Brezhnev look like a fucking amateur. And as good ol' Dave proved, that goes for our representatives in Washington as much as the ones in Baton Rouge.
But, don't forget, we have a guy in the Governor's Mansion who seems a bit too Cromwellian for my tastes....
Americans are tired of Republicans and their BS.
The war in Iraq is wrong.
The economy is hurting, and part of the problem is because of Republican spending.
Republicans lie, cheat, spend, and then laugh about it all.
Republicans think they can do what they want.
Well guess what?
The voters are on to them, and have been for some time.
We the people are cleaning up the mess, and sweeping out Republicans.
Time to stop the BS, and give average people their lives back.
No more Republicans!
I am,
George Vreeland Hill
Yay, we get a "Democrat" here in Louisiana! I wouldn't be too surprised if he does the old party switcheroo on us. It's been done before.
According to the flyer left on my door, Don Cazayoux “will work in Congress to strengthen the families of Louisiana’s 6th District by:”
- Preventing the influx of illegal aliens and securing our borders
- Continuing his fight to protect the unborn
- Protecting our 2nd Amendment rights (Received an “A” rating from the N.R.A.)
On his Web site, Cazayoux’s position on Iraq is stated as follows: “I believe we need to change directions in Iraq and bring our troops home responsibly and with honor while continuing to focus on national security and winning the war on terror.” Too many of his principles run contrary to those of the Democratic Party for him to represent its members effectively.
The United States is moving forward, something proven in the current Democratic presidential candidates and the enthusiasm they have brought. Cazayoux’s proud championing of pro-life and gun lobby interests reveal a man stuck in the past, not leading the way.
I was happy to see at the very least the anti-Obama ads didn't hurt Cazayoux in this race but I'm not pleased he plans to be another Bush dog Dem.
We're going to have to elect more more progressive Democrats this Fall in other areas of the country.
Here's my question. Realistically speaking, can a liberal Democrat be elected in very red districts in the Deep South?
When I say Deep South, I mean states like Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee.
ghostrider @ 48:
No, not really. This is the Bible Belt, after all. Though most people here tend to think that a story with a bit in it about gods banging women and having kids is superior to science.
I'd love to hear your average Fundie explain why they aren't Jewish, seeing as they seem to think a Christian only should read from the Tanakh...
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