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2008 United States presidential election in Louisiana

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Main article: 2008 United States presidential election

The 2008 United States presidential election in Louisiana took place on November 4, 2008, was part of the 2008 United States presidential election. Voters chose nine representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

2008 United States presidential election in Louisiana
← 2004 November 4, 2008 2012 →
 
Nominee John McCain Barack Obama
Party Republican Democratic
Home state Arizona Illinois
Running mate Sarah Palin Joe Biden
Electoral vote 9 0
Popular vote 1,148,275 782,989
Percentage 58.56% 39.93%
President before election

George W. Bush
Republican

Elected President

Barack Obama
Democratic

Louisiana was won by Republican nominee John McCain by an 18.6% margin of victory. Prior to the election, all 17 news organizations considered this a state McCain would win, or otherwise a "red state". Although Bill Clinton carried the state twice, it has since shifted strongly toward the Republican Party. This is despite its having one of the largest percentages of African Americans in the country, one of the Democratic Party's most reliable voting blocs and which gave record-breaking support to Obama, the first African American on a major-party presidential ticket. Its shift to the right has been due almost entirely to its white population, which has become overwhelmingly Republican in the 21st century. It was one of five states to swing Republican from 2004, along with West Virginia, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. This marked the first time that Louisiana failed to back the winning candidate since 1968, when it voted for a third-party candidate George Wallace. In doing so, Obama became the first winning Democratic presidential nominee to lose Louisiana since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. He was the first Democrat to ever win without Calcasieu Parish since the parish's founding in 1840.

In this election, Louisiana voted 25.9% to the right of the nation at-large, or a 13.85 percent bigger differential than in 2004.[1]

Primaries

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Campaign

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Predictions

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There were 16 news organizations who made state-by-state predictions of the election. Here are their last predictions before election day:

Source Ranking
D.C. Political Report[2] Likely R
Cook Political Report[3] Solid R
The Takeaway[4] Solid R
Electoral-vote.com[5] Solid R
Washington Post[6] Solid R
Politico[7] Solid R
RealClearPolitics[8] Solid R
FiveThirtyEight[6] Solid R
CQ Politics[9] Solid R
The New York Times[10] Solid R
CNN[11] Safe R
NPR[6] Solid R
MSNBC[6] Solid R
Fox News[12] Likely R
Associated Press[13] Likely R
Rasmussen Reports[14] Safe R

Polling

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Main article: Statewide opinion polling for the 2008 United States presidential election: Louisiana

McCain won every pre-election poll. The final 3 polls averaged McCain leading 50% to 40%.[15]

Fundraising

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John McCain raised a total of $2,175,416 in the state. Barack Obama raised $1,438,276.[16]

Advertising and visits

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Obama spent $368,039. McCain and his interest groups spent $6,019.[17] McCain visited the state once, in New Orleans.[18]

Analysis

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Voters wait in queue at a polling station in New Orleans

Polling in Louisiana gave a strong lead to McCain, sometimes as high as 19%,[19] and Barack Obama did not seriously contest the state. Governor Bobby Jindal endorsed McCain early on in the primary season. Louisiana was also one of only two states to list Ron Paul on their official ballot (the other being Montana which gave the largest percentage to any third-party candidate nationwide). This is the last time any county flipped in the state in a presidential election.

At the same time, however, incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu avoided the Republican trend in the state and held onto her U.S. Senate seat, taking in 52.11% of the vote to State Treasurer John N. Kennedy, a Democrat who switched parties to run against Landrieu. Republicans picked up two U.S. House seats in Louisiana (LA-02 and LA-06 with Joseph Cao and Bill Cassidy, respectively). In a terrible year for the Republican Party nationwide, Louisiana provided the GOP with a ray of hope and optimism.

Results

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2008 United States presidential election in Louisiana[20]
Party Candidate Running mate Votes Percentage Electoral votes
Republican John McCain Sarah Palin 1,148,275 58.56% 9
Democratic Barack Obama Joe Biden 782,989 39.93% 0
Louisiana Taxpayers[21] Ron Paul (no campaign) Barry Goldwater Jr. 9,368 0.48% 0
Green Cynthia McKinney Rosa Clemente 9,187 0.47% 0
Independent Ralph Nader Matt Gonzalez 6,997 0.36% 0
Constitution Chuck Baldwin Darrell Castle 2,581 0.13% 0
Socialist Workers James Harris Alyson Kennedy 735 0.04% 0
Socialism and Liberation Gloria La Riva Eugene Puryear 354 0.02% 0
Prohibition Gene Amondson Leroy Pletten 275 0.01% 0
Totals 1,960,761 100.00% 9
Voter turnout (Voting age population) 62.0%

By parish

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Parish John McCain
Republican 		Barack Obama
Democratic 		Various candidates
Other parties 		Margin Total
# % # % # % # %
Acadia 19,229 71.99% 7,028 26.31% 454 1.70% 12,201 45.68% 26,711
Allen 6,333 66.90% 2,891 30.54% 243 2.57% 3,442 36.36% 9,467
Ascension 31,239 67.08% 14,625 31.40% 707 1.52% 16,614 35.68% 46,571
Assumption 5,981 54.57% 4,756 43.39% 223 2.03% 1,225 11.18% 10,960
Avoyelles 10,236 60.43% 6,327 37.35% 375 2.21% 3,909 23.08% 16,938
Beauregard 10,718 76.15% 3,071 21.82% 285 2.03% 7,647 54.33% 14,074
Bienville 3,776 50.82% 3,589 48.30% 65 0.87% 187 2.52% 7,430
Bossier 32,713 71.37% 12,703 27.71% 419 0.91% 20,010 43.66% 45,835
Caddo 52,228 48.07% 55,536 51.11% 896 0.82% -3,308 -3.04% 108,660
Calcasieu 50,449 61.43% 30,244 36.82% 1,438 1.75% 20,205 24.61% 82,131
Caldwell 3,696 75.54% 1,118 22.85% 79 1.61% 2,578 52.69% 4,893
Cameron 3,089 81.44% 613 16.16% 91 2.40% 2,476 65.28% 3,793
Catahoula 3,486 66.72% 1,659 31.75% 80 1.53% 1,827 34.97% 5,225
Claiborne 3,750 54.82% 3,025 44.22% 66 0.96% 725 10.60% 6,841
Concordia 5,668 59.49% 3,766 39.53% 93 0.98% 1,902 19.96% 9,527
DeSoto 6,883 56.16% 5,242 42.77% 132 1.08% 1,641 13.39% 12,257
East Baton Rouge 95,390 48.34% 99,652 50.50% 2,307 1.17% -4,262 -2.16% 197,349
East Carroll 1,254 35.23% 2,267 63.70% 38 1.07% -1,013 -28.47% 3,559
East Feliciana 5,432 54.61% 4,383 44.06% 132 1.33% 1,049 10.55% 9,947
Evangeline 9,793 61.30% 5,853 36.64% 330 2.07% 3,940 24.66% 15,976
Franklin 6,278 67.09% 2,961 31.64% 119 1.27% 3,317 35.45% 9,358
Grant 6,907 80.71% 1,474 17.22% 177 2.07% 5,433 63.49% 8,558
Iberia 20,127 60.68% 12,492 37.66% 549 1.66% 7,635 23.02% 33,168
Iberville 7,185 43.75% 9,023 54.95% 213 1.30% -1,838 -11.20% 16,421
Jackson 5,190 67.09% 2,456 31.75% 90 1.16% 2,734 35.34% 7,736
Jefferson 113,191 62.50% 65,096 35.94% 2,833 1.56% 48,095 26.56% 181,120
Jefferson Davis 9,278 68.72% 3,923 29.06% 300 2.22% 5,355 39.66% 13,501
Lafayette 62,055 64.88% 32,145 33.61% 1,442 1.51% 29,910 31.27% 95,642
Lafourche 27,089 71.49% 9,662 25.50% 1,142 3.01% 17,427 45.99% 37,893
LaSalle 5,602 85.49% 860 13.12% 91 1.39% 4,742 72.37% 6,553
Lincoln 10,680 55.69% 8,292 43.23% 207 1.08% 2,388 12.46% 19,179
Livingston 43,269 85.02% 6,681 13.13% 942 1.85% 36,588 71.89% 50,892
Madison 2,152 40.60% 3,100 58.49% 48 0.91% -948 -17.89% 5,300
Morehouse 7,258 54.98% 5,792 43.88% 150 1.14% 1,466 11.10% 13,200
Natchitoches 9,054 53.05% 7,801 45.71% 212 1.24% 1,253 7.34% 17,067
Orleans 28,130 19.08% 117,102 79.42% 2,207 1.50% -88,972 -60.34% 147,439
Ouachita 41,741 62.07% 24,813 36.90% 690 1.03% 16,928 25.17% 67,244
Plaquemines 6,894 65.98% 3,380 32.35% 175 1.67% 3,514 33.63% 10,449
Pointe Coupee 6,702 53.90% 5,516 44.36% 217 1.75% 1,186 9.54% 12,435
Rapides 36,611 63.65% 20,127 34.99% 783 1.36% 16,484 28.66% 57,521
Red River 2,484 53.66% 2,080 44.93% 65 1.40% 404 8.73% 4,629
Richland 5,751 62.64% 3,311 36.06% 119 1.30% 2,440 26.58% 9,181
Sabine 7,226 74.87% 2,245 23.26% 181 1.88% 4,981 51.61% 9,652
St. Bernard 9,643 71.21% 3,491 25.78% 407 3.01% 6,152 45.43% 13,541
St. Charles 16,457 64.80% 8,522 33.56% 418 1.65% 7,935 31.24% 25,397
St. Helena 2,522 40.78% 3,567 57.68% 95 1.54% -1,045 -16.90% 6,184
St. James 5,432 43.23% 6,994 55.67% 138 1.10% -1,562 -12.44% 12,564
St. John the Baptist 8,912 41.15% 12,424 57.37% 320 1.48% -3,512 -16.22% 21,656
St. Landry 21,650 50.95% 20,268 47.70% 575 1.35% 1,382 3.25% 42,493
St. Martin 14,443 59.55% 9,419 38.84% 390 1.61% 5,024 20.71% 24,252
St. Mary 13,183 57.56% 9,345 40.80% 375 1.64% 3,838 16.76% 22,903
St. Tammany 83,078 75.84% 24,596 22.45% 1,868 1.71% 58,482 53.39% 109,542
Tangipahoa 31,434 64.68% 16,438 33.82% 730 1.50% 14,996 30.86% 48,602
Tensas 1,367 44.97% 1,646 54.14% 27 0.89% -279 -9.17% 3,040
Terrebonne 28,210 69.32% 11,581 28.46% 905 2.22% 16,629 40.86% 40,696
Union 7,619 70.10% 3,103 28.55% 146 1.34% 4,516 41.55% 10,868
Vermilion 18,069 72.76% 6,266 25.23% 498 2.01% 11,803 47.53% 24,833
Vernon 11,946 75.76% 3,534 22.41% 289 1.83% 8,412 53.35% 15,769
Washington 12,215 65.59% 6,122 32.87% 287 1.54% 6,093 32.72% 18,624
Webster 11,417 62.49% 6,610 36.18% 243 1.33% 4,807 26.31% 18,270
West Baton Rouge 6,654 56.08% 5,043 42.50% 169 1.42% 1,611 13.58% 11,866
West Carroll 4,045 81.11% 878 17.61% 64 1.28% 3,167 63.50% 4,987
West Feliciana 3,150 56.05% 2,415 42.97% 55 0.98% 735 13.08% 5,620
Winn 4,632 68.40% 2,047 30.23% 93 1.37% 2,585 38.17% 6,772
Totals 1,148,275 58.56% 782,989 39.93% 29,497 1.50% 365,286 18.63% 1,960,761
 
Parish Flips:

Parishes that flipped from Republican to Democratic

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Parishes that flipped from Democratic to Republican

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By congressional district

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John McCain carried 6 of the state's 7 congressional districts, both McCain and Obama won a district won by the other party.

District McCain Obama Representative
1st 72.72% 25.68% Bobby Jindal (110th Congress)
Steve Scalise (111th Congress)
2nd 24.86% 74.13% William J. Jefferson (110th Congress)
Joseph Cao (111th Congress)
3rd 60.99% 37.03% Charles Melancon
4th 59.28% 39.57% Jim McCrery (110th Congress)
John C. Fleming (111th Congress)
5th 61.75% 36.96% Rodney Alexander
6th 57.40% 41.26% Don Cazayoux (110th Congress)
Bill Cassidy (111th Congress)
7th 63.14% 35.20% Charles Boustany

Electors

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Main article: List of 2008 United States presidential electors

Technically the voters of Louisiana cast their ballots for electors: representatives to the Electoral College. Louisiana is allocated 9 electors because it has 7 congressional districts and 2 senators. All candidates who appear on the ballot or qualify to receive write-in votes must submit a list of 9 electors, who pledge to vote for their candidate and his or her running mate. Whoever wins the majority of votes in the state is awarded all 9 electoral votes. Their chosen electors then vote for president and vice president. Although electors are pledged to their candidate and running mate, they are not obligated to vote for them.[22] An elector who votes for someone other than his or her candidate is known as a faithless elector.

The electors of each state and the District of Columbia met on December 15, 2008, to cast their votes for president and vice president. The Electoral College itself never meets as one body. Instead the electors from each state and the District of Columbia met in their respective capitols.

The following were the members of the Electoral College from the state. All 9 were pledged to John McCain and Sarah Palin:[23]

  1. Lynn Skidmore
  2. Joe Lavigne
  3. Gordon Giles - He replaced Billy Nungesser, who was absent due to illness.[24]
  4. Alan Seabaugh
  5. Karen Haymon
  6. Charles Davis
  7. Charlie Buckels
  8. Dianne Christopher
  9. Roger F. Villere Jr.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  2. ^ "D.C.'s Political Report: The complete source for campaign summaries". January 1, 2009. Archived from the original on January 1, 2009. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  3. ^ "Presidential". May 5, 2015. Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  4. ^ "Vote 2008 - The Takeaway - Track the Electoral College vote predictions". April 22, 2009. Archived from the original on April 22, 2009. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  5. ^ "Electoral-vote.com: President, Senate, House Updated Daily". electoral-vote.com. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d Based on Takeaway
  7. ^ "POLITICO's 2008 Swing State Map - POLITICO.com". www.politico.com. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  8. ^ "RealClearPolitics - Electoral Map". Archived from the original on June 5, 2008.
  9. ^ "CQ Presidential Election Maps, 2008". CQ Politics. Archived from the original on June 14, 2009. Retrieved December 20, 2009.
  10. ^ Nagourney, Adam; Zeleny, Jeff; Carter, Shan (November 4, 2008). "The Electoral Map: Key States". The New York Times. Retrieved May 26, 2010.
  11. ^ "October – 2008 – CNN Political Ticker - CNN.com Blogs". CNN. October 31, 2008. Archived from the original on June 19, 2010. Retrieved May 26, 2010.
  12. ^ "Winning The Electoral College". Fox News. April 27, 2010.
  13. ^ "roadto270". hosted.ap.org. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  14. ^ "Election 2008: Electoral College Update - Rasmussen Reports". www.rasmussenreports.com. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  15. ^ Election 2008 Polls - Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections
  16. ^ "Presidential Campaign Finance". Archived from the original on March 24, 2009. Retrieved August 20, 2009.
  17. ^ "Map: Campaign Ad Spending - Election Center 2008 from CNN.com". CNN. Retrieved May 26, 2010.
  18. ^ "Map: Campaign Candidate Visits - Election Center 2008 from CNN.com". CNN. Retrieved May 26, 2010.
  19. ^ "Rasmussen Reports: The Most Comprehensive Public Opinion Site". Archived from the original on January 31, 2009. Retrieved December 16, 2008.
  20. ^ "Official General Election Results". The Green Papers. Retrieved December 12, 2008.
  21. ^ Louisiana Taxpayers
  22. ^ "Electoral College". California Secretary of State. Archived from the original on October 30, 2008. Retrieved November 1, 2008.
  23. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 8, 2008. Retrieved November 8, 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  24. ^ http://www.katc.com/Global/story.asp?S=9525360[permanent dead link‍]
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