Republican is Republican and Democrat is Democrat and never the twain shall meet, unless you’re in Louisiana during this wacky election cycle, columnist Jeremy Alford notes, in which case one needs the other—particularly in the runoff contests for governor and attorney general.
“It’s an interesting situation to ponder when it has been dog eat dog in the field for the past year, with both parties trying desperately to divide the electorate on issues of character and ideology,” Alford says. “But after the final vote is cast on Nov. 21, two of the most influential statewide elected officials in Louisiana may owe their shared success to significant party crossover.”
While this situation is not completely new to Louisiana politics, which have been peppered with shades of purple in recent generations, Alford says, this across-the-aisle marketing offers up somewhat of a novel trend to watch. A lack of Democrats in top-tier races, like the runoff for attorney general this year, are very slowly becoming more common in a state that often bends more red than blue. For example, the 2011 election for lieutenant governor and the 2013 special election in the 5th Congressional District both hosted only GOP candidates.
“It’s an unintended consequence of our unique open primary system in which all comers are placed on the same ballot for a political battle royale, with the last two standing advancing to a runoff,” Alford says. “It was created in 1971 and quickly gave way to statewide races where moderates chew up the middle ground in such a way that ideological extremes are often pitted against each other in a runoff.”
One example of this is the battle between Attorney General Buddy Caldwell in his re-election bid. Alford says Caldwell is in a war for Democratic votes with former Congressman Jeff Landry. Landry, a Republican, has received the endorsement of the primary’s third-place finisher, Democrat Geri Broussard Baloney, who was also endorsed by the Louisiana Democratic Party.
“Hardcore Dems probably shuddered to see Broussard help the ultraconservative Landry, especially after Broussard’s party took a risk on her upstart campaign,” Alford says. “While many Democrats would have preferred her to stay out of the runoff altogether, her allegiance would have fit more snuggly with the Caldwell brand.”
Further muddying the waters is Caldwell’s switch from Democrat to Republican, in 2011, and the fact that he repeatedly angered some to the far right of his newly-chosen party by continuing to court those on the left who had helped him capture office in the first place, Alford says.
“As much as both men have tried to maneuver to the right in recent years, and away from anything that could be perceived as overly liberal, it’s an interesting twist that the left side of the electorate will decide their fates,” Alford says.
Jeremy Alford publishes LaPolitics Weekly, a newsletter on Louisiana politics, at LaPolitics.com. Follow him on Twitter, or on Facebook. He can be reached at JJA@LaPolitics.com.
