BREAKING NEWS: Democrat wins longtime GOP seat in Louisiana
Here's a Saturday night news lead that will spark smiles on the faces of Nancy Pelosi, Howard Dean and a bunch of other Democratic leaders for weeks to come. From the Bloomberg News Service:
"A Louisiana Democrat won a U.S. House seat that Republicans had held for more than 20 years, expanding the Democratic majority in Congress and demonstrating surging party strength in Republican strongholds."
The 6th congressional district, centered around Baton Rouge, had been in GOP hands since the mid-1970s. It came open early this year when Rep. Richard Baker, who first won the seat in 1986, announced he was quitting the House to become a lobbyist.
Going into Saturday's vote, Democrat Don Cazayoux had been slightly favored, in part because the GOP candidate, Woody Jenkins, had problems raising money. And the race played out true to form, with Cazayoux edging Jenkins, 49% to 46%.
The Democratic establishment couldn't care less about the margin. Instead, the crowing will instantly begin about how Cazayoux's victory is another strong sign that the party is destined for big things this election year.
Democrats previously were thrilled when, in early March, one of their brethren claimed the seat in Illinois that former House speaker Dennis Hastert gave up. And in April in Mississippi, a Democrat won the most votes and forced a runoff for a House seat a Republican occupied for 13 years.
-- Don Frederick
Andrew Malcolm's immigrant parents repeatedly stressed the importance of active participation in a democracy. Early lessons included learning the alphabetical list of states by watching televised roll calls of national political conventions. That childhood exposure led to a lifelong fascination with politics, including 40-plus years of covering them and a brief stint practicing them as press secretary to Laura Bush in 1999-2000. A veteran foreign and national correspondent, Malcolm served on the Times Editorial Board and was a Pulitzer finalist in 2004. He is the author of 10 nonfiction books and father of four.
Johanna Neuman is a veteran Washington correspondent for both The Los Angeles Times and USA Today, having covered presidents and politics as far back as Ronald Reagan. A former president of the White House Correspondents Assn., she authored a book on media and foreign policy, “Lights, Camera, Wars.” Most recently she was co-author of the 
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Senator Obama's supporters came out strong for Cazayoux in LA. This is just one example of how down-ticket Democrats will ride Obama's coattails to huge victories in November. Go Obama 2008!
Posted by: Susan | May 03, 2008 at 11:25 PM
At the very least Republicans and their pals poured money into the race hoping to 'nationalize' it by wrapping Obama around Cazayoux with Wright tape. Not quite the magic bullet they were hoping for.
Is is possible that after the myopic dementia of the Bush administration and the ilk of his GOP enablers the American public is fed up with Rovism? Worse for the Dems, though, is what a mess they've left to clean up!
Posted by: EthanQ | May 04, 2008 at 12:33 AM
It would be fair and nice if the LA Times would emphasize that Cazayoux was strongly supported by Obama and his campaign. This win in a "Republican State" emphasizes the length of Obama's coat tails.
Posted by: Joe Daly | May 04, 2008 at 03:56 AM
I still say no matter what kind of weapon is formed against senator Obama, shall not prosper. It is his TIME, DAY, and PURPOSE. Can't you not tell by how the election turned out in the State of Louisiana with the OBAMA and Rev. WRIGHT add tied to the winner.
It made no difference. WAKE UP AMERICA and SEE that Senator Obama has been APPOINTED, and ANNOINTED by GOD for this MISSION.
Posted by: Margie dansby | May 04, 2008 at 06:40 AM
Looks like locals getting connected to Obama is a good thing. Helps them win elections. Hillary must be so disappointed.
Posted by: Javalation | May 04, 2008 at 06:31 PM
Maybe, this is a harbinger of things to come for the GOP.
Posted by: KYJurisDoctor | May 04, 2008 at 06:52 PM