2007 Louisiana gubernatorial election

none 2007 United States gubernatorial elections January 2025 September 2023 2007 Louisiana gubernatorial election Louisiana presidential no 2003 Louisiana gubernatorial election 2003 2011 Louisiana gubernatorial election 2011 October 20, 2007 2006 File:Bobby Jindal, official 109th Congressional photo.jpg 150x150px Bobby Jindal Republican Party (United States) 699,672 53.91% 3x4.svg Walter Boasso Democratic Party (United States) 226,364 17.44% File:JohnGeorgesJan2010.jpg John Georges Independent 186,800 14.39% 3x4.svg Foster Campbell Democratic Party (United States) 161,425 12.44% 2007 Louisiana gubernatorial election results map by parish.svg 280px Parish resultsJindal: #ffc7c9 30–40% #ffb2b2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80%Boasso: #a5b0ff 40–50%Georges: #b6ffa8 30–40%Campbell: #ffccaa 30–40% #ffb380 40–50% Governor Kathleen Blanco Democratic Party (United States) Bobby Jindal Republican Party (United States) The 2007 Louisiana gubernatorial election was held on October 20. Democratic incumbent Kathleen Blanco did not run for re-election to a second term in office. Bobby Jindal won the election in the open jungle primary, capturing a majority of the vote and obviating the need for a run-off election.Louisiana Secretary of State Retrieved October 21, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20080919002801/http://www400.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcms2&rqsdta=102007 September 19, 2008 This was the first time since 1968 in which the winner of a Louisiana gubernatorial election was of the same party as the incumbent president. This was also the only governorship that Republicans flipped during George W. Bush's second term. Background Louisiana state elections, with the exception of U.S. presidential elections (and congressional races from 2008 until 2010), followed a variation of the open primary system called the jungle primary. Candidates of any and all parties are listed on one ballot, and unless one candidate takes more than 50 percent of the vote in the first round, a run-off election is then held between the top two candidates, who may in fact be members of the same party. The filing deadline for candidates was September 6. Hurricane Katrina and Blanco administration Incumbent Kathleen Blanco originally planned to run for re-election, but she entered the year facing a significant erosion in her popular support, in large part to perceptions of inadequate performance in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In November 2006, Blanco had an approval rating of 39 percent. In December 2006, Blanco called a special session of the legislature which she intended to use to pass $2.1 billion in tax cuts, teacher raises, road projects, and other spending programs. Legislators allied with Blanco attempted to lift a constitutional spending cap, but Republicans defeated the proposed measures. The high-profile defeat further eroded Blanco's political reputation.Bill Barrow Session debacle fuels GOP's resolve; some lawmakers decry partisanship. New Orleans Times-Picayune 2006-12-17 Blanco also faced increasingly strong accusations of delays and incompetence in administering the Road Home Program, a state-run program Blanco set up following Katrina to distribute federal aid to victims. By January 2007, fewer than 250 of an estimated 100,000 applicants had received payments, and many payments apparently underestimated the costs of damages.Jeffrey Meitrodt http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-7/1169970765301220.xml&coll=1 Understaffed and Overwhelmed: The firm administering Louisiana's Road Home program has consistently underestimated the magnitude of the task, records show. New Orleans Times-Picayune 2007-01-28 2006-01-29 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20070503225107/http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?%2Fbase%2Fnews-7%2F1169970765301220.xml&coll=1 2007-05-03 By January 2007, early opinion polls showed Blanco trailing Bobby Jindal by over 20 percent. Blanco began her campaign by repeatedly criticizing of the administration of President George W. Bush, noting that Bush neglected to mention Gulf Coast reconstruction in his 2007 State of the Union Address and calling for a bipartisan congressional investigation into the conduct of the Bush administration following Katrina to determine whether partisan politics played a role in the slow response to the storm.David Hammer http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/capital/index.ssf?/base/news-4/1169714864320640.xml&coll=1 Blanco criticizes president's speech: Failure to mention Gulf Coast irks many New Orleans Times-Picayune 2007-01-25 2006-01-29 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20070930170856/http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/capital/index.ssf?%2Fbase%2Fnews-4%2F1169714864320640.xml&coll=1 2007-09-30 The latter proposal followed comments by former Federal Emergency Management Agency director Michael D. Brown, who claimed that the White House had planned to upstage Blanco by federalizing the National Guard in the days following Katrina. Blanco also repeated accusations that Mississippi had received preferential treatment because its governor, Haley Barbour, was a Republican.Bill Walsh http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/washington/index.ssf?/base/news-1/116953815315500.xml&coll=1 Blanco calls for federal Katrina probe: Ex-director says White House tried to foil governor New Orleans Times-Picayune 2007-01-23 2006-01-29 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20070930165420/http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/washington/index.ssf?%2Fbase%2Fnews-1%2F116953815315500.xml&coll=1 2007-09-30 Candidates Democratic Party Walter Boasso, Republican state senator from St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes and shipping magnateEd Anderson http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-8/1177136792117150.xml&coll=1 Demos hunt for big name candidate New Orleans Times-Picayune 2007-04-21 2007-04-21 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20070930184108/http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?%2Fbase%2Fnews-8%2F1177136792117150.xml&coll=1 2007-09-30 Foster Campbell, member of the Public Service Commission and former state senator Vinny Mendoza, Kenner resident, Korean War veteran, and perennial candidate Hardy Parkerson, Lake Charles attorney Mary Volentine Smith, retired Winnsboro hairdresser Withdrew Kathleen Blanco, incumbent governor since 2004Ed Anderson http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-7/1174456461193610.xml&coll=1 Blanco bows out of race New Orleans Times-Picayune 2007-03-21 2007-03-21 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20070325020506/http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?%2Fbase%2Fnews-7%2F1174456461193610.xml&coll=1 2007-03-25 John Breaux, lobbyist and former U.S. senatorClancy Dubos Breaux ex Machina Gambit Weekly 2006-12-17Chris Cillizza https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/22/AR2007022201730.html Breaux to the Rescue? The Washington Post 2007-02-23 2006-01-26John Maginnis http://www.nola.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1172041792203960.xml?NOEJM&coll=1 Desperate Dems look to Breaux again The New Orleans Times-Picayune 2007-02-21 2007-02-26 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20070930154733/http://www.nola.com/search/index.ssf?%2Fbase%2Fnews-0%2F1172041792203960.xml%3FNOEJM&coll=1 2007-09-30Melinda Deslatte http://www.dailycomet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070222/APN/702222671 Breaux's residency questioned amid rumors of possible candidacy Thibodaux Daily Comet 2007-02-22 2007-02-26 September 27, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070927121944/http://www.dailycomet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070222/APN/702222671 deadEd Anderson http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/capital/index.ssf?/base/news-4/1175234082230740.xml&coll=1&thispage=2 Breaux moves forward with campaign New Orleans Times-Picayune 2007-03-30 2007-03-30 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20070930153751/http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/capital/index.ssf?%2Fbase%2Fnews-4%2F1175234082230740.xml&coll=1&thispage=2 2007-09-30Ed Anderson http://blog.nola.com/times-picayune/2007/04/breaux_says_he_wont_run.html Breaux says he will not run for governor New Orleans Times-Picayune 2007-04-13 2007-04-13 https://web.archive.org/web/20070416124332/http://blog.nola.com/times-picayune/2007/04/breaux_says_he_wont_run.html 2007-04-16 dead Declined John Kennedy, Louisiana State Treasurer Mitch Landrieu, lieutenant governor since 2004Doug Simpson https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070417/ap_on_el_gu/louisiana_governor;_ylt=AsYgjfa7bd6xsP0zH7Tj5FSyFz4D Mitch Landrieu declines La. governor bid Associated Press 2007-04-17 2007-04-17 October 2010 H3llBot Charlie Melançon, U.S. representative from Napoleonville Ray Nagin, mayor of New Orleans Republican Party Bobby Jindal, U.S. representative from Kenner, former Secretary of Health and Hospitals, and candidate for governor in 2003 Withdrew David Vitter, U.S. senator since 2005 and former U.S. representative Independent Belinda Alexandrenko, Lafayette resident and candidate for governor in 1995 and 1999 (Independent) Sheldon Forest, Maurice resident (Independent) Anthony Gentile, oil refinery supervisor from Mandeville (Independent) John Georges, New Orleans businessman and owner of the Baton Rouge Morning Advocate (Independent)Georges initially ran as a Republican before leaving the Republican Party to run as an independent. T. Lee Horne III, real estate salesman from Franklin (Libertarian) Jim Nichols, Donaldsonville resident and candidate for governor in 1995 (Independent) Campaign In early 2007, a number of prominent Democratic figures declined to run. On March 20, following weeks of calls from her own party to step aside, Blanco announced that she would not run for re-election. Former U.S. senator John Breaux, who was a leading candidate to succeed her, faced charges that he would be ineligible to run as a resident and registered voter in Maryland since 2005; he announced on April 13 that he would not be a candidate. On April 17, lieutenant governor Mitch Landrieu also declined to run. Due to the lack of a high-profile Democratic candidate, party leaders approached Republican state senator Walter Boasso; Boasso formally switched to the Democratic Party on April 26. Ed Anderson http://blog.nola.com/times-picayune/2007/04/boasso_makes_switch_to_democra.html Boasso makes switch to Democrats New Orleans Times-Picayune 2007-04-27 2007-04-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20070428074419/http://blog.nola.com/times-picayune/2007/04/boasso_makes_switch_to_democra.html 2007-04-28 dead Boasso, the president and CEO of a network of shipping container facilities and a member of the Port of New Orleans Board of Commissioners, had a reputation as a conservative, pro-business legislator. After Hurricane Katrina, Boasso achieved prominence as a leading advocate for consolidation and reform of the state's Levee Boards. Foster Campbell, a cattle farmer and insurance businessman from Bossier Parish who served on the Public Service Commission, was a long time advocate for regulating and lowering utility rates. A centerpiece of his populist campaign is a proposal to tax foreign oil refined in Louisiana and use the proceeds to eliminate personal income tax. By April, two Republicans had emerged as the leading fundraisers in the race. John Georges, a wealthy businessman, had $5.5 million cash on hand and Bobby Jindal, who had led the Republicans in 2003 and narrowly lost to Blanco, had received $5 million in campaign financing. Although Georges would later leave the Republican Party to run as an independent, the financial and polling strength of the two Republicans presented a tremendous challenge to Democratic Party recruitment. In late late August, an ad campaign by the Louisiana Democratic Party attacked Bobby Jindal on the basis of supposed inflammatory remarks made about Protestantism. The ad was solely aired in the largely Protestant central and northern districts of the state. The ad drew attention to essays Jindal had written over a decade previously discussing his Catholic faith and conversion. One such essay was titled "How Catholicism Is Different – The Catholic Church Isn't Just Another Denomination" was published in 1996 in the New Oxford Review.Jindal Bobby How Catholicism Is Different – The Catholic Church Isn't Just Another Denomination New Oxford Review Dec 1996 Jindal said about the ad, "They're absolute lies. We're not talking about an exaggeration." A letter from Jindal's campaign said, "each claim made in the advertisement distorts Mr. Jindal's positions with false and grossly distorted statements."http://www.nola.com/timespic/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-0/11877621549270.xml&coll=1 Jindal wants religious insult claims dropped 2007-08-22 Moller Jan 2007-08-22 New Orleans Times-Picayune dead https://web.archive.org/web/20070930154546/http://www.nola.com/timespic/stories/index.ssf?%2Fbase%2Fnews-0%2F11877621549270.xml&coll=1 2007-09-30 Polling Source Date KathleenBlanco (D) WalterBoasso (D) JohnBreaux (D) FosterCampbell (D) JohnGeorges (I) BobbyJindal (R) Undecided/OtherLoyola Institute of PoliticsLoyola Institute of Politics https://web.archive.org/web/20080126120538/http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20071011/APN/710110957 2008-01-26 October 2–8, 2007 9% 7% 9% 50%25%Southeastern Louisiana UniversitySoutheastern Louisiana UniversityOctober 1–7, 2007 10%6%9% 46%29%Kitchens GroupKitchens Group September 4, 2007 11% 8% 7% 51%23%Verne KennedyVerne Kennedy https://web.archive.org/web/20070927190206/http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070823/BREAKINGNEWS/70823027 September 27, 2007 August 23, 2007 11% 3% 8% 50%7%Includes 7% for Ray Nagin.Southern Media and Opinion ResearchSouthern Media and Opinion Research August 3–6, 2007 10% 3% 2% 60%25%Includes 11% for Ray Nagin. 14% 4% 1% 63%18%Anzalone Liszt ResearchAnzalone Liszt Research https://web.archive.org/web/20070929102926/http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/8589487.html September 29, 2007 July 8–12, 2007 21% 6% 1% 52%20%Anzalone Liszt Research May 7–9, 2007 6% 9% 1% 62%22%John Breaux declines to runVerne KennedyVerne Kennedy March 29–April 3, 2007 1% 23% 2% 10% 39%25%Includes 5% for Mitch Landrieu, 4% for John Kennedy, 1% for Richard Ieyoub, and 0% for Jim Bernhardt.Kathleen Blanco declines to runSouthern Media and Opinion ResearchSouthern Media and Opinion Research March 19, 2007 2% 26% 5% 56%11% 24% 2% 4% 59%11%Southern Media and Opinion Research January 18, 2007 31% 6% 58%5% Verne Kennedy October 24–30, 2006 20% 52%28%Includes 9% for Mitch Landrieu, 9% for David Vitter, and 3% for Charlie Melancon.Verne KennedyVerne Kennedy March 17–19, 2006 16% 1% 17% 1% 39%26%Includes 10% for David Vitter, 2% for Richard Ieyoub, and 1% for Jim Bernhardt.Verne KennedyVerne Kennedy September 2017 InternetArchiveBot yes February 7–15, 2006 16% 1% 23% 36%24%Includes 7% for Mitch Landrieu, 5% for David Vitter, and 1% for Jim Bernhardt. Predictions SourceRankingAs of Sabato's Crystal Ballhttps://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/ljs2007110101/ 22007 Gubernatorial Contests and Virginia General Assembly Update crystalball.centerforpolitics.org Likely R flipOctober 20, 2007 Results thumb|275px|Parishes won by Gubernatorial Candidates in the October 20, 2007 Election. #FF0000 Bobby Jindal (60) #0033FF Foster Campbell (2) #FF9900 Walter Boasso (1) #66FF00 John Georges (1) Louisiana gubernatorial election, 2007 Republican Party (United States) Bobby Jindal 699,672 53.91 Democratic Party (United States) Walter Boasso 226,364 17.44 Independent John Georges 186,800 14.39 Democratic Party (United States) Foster Campbell 161,425 12.44 Democratic Party (United States) Mary Volentine Smith 5,843 0.45 Independent Belinda Alexandrenko 4,782 0.37 Independent Anthony Gentile 3,369 0.36 Libertarian Party (US) T. Lee Horne, III 2,639 0.2 Independent Sheldon Forest 2,319 0.18 Democratic Party (United States) M. V. "Vinny" Mendoza 2,076 0.16 Democratic Party (United States) Hardy Parkerson 1,661 0.13 Independent Arthur D. "Jim" Nichols 993 0.08 473,308 36.47% 1,297,943 100% Republican Party (United States) Democratic Party (United States) See also 2007 United States gubernatorial elections State of Louisiana Governors of Louisiana References 2 External links https://archive.today/20121212093351/http://www400.sos.louisiana.gov/cgibin/?rqstyp=CNDMD&rqsdta=102007&ID=10012919 Louisiana Secretary of State el Campaign sites Democratic Walter Boasso for Governor web site Foster Campbell for Governor web site Republican Bobby Jindal for Governor web site Libertarian T. Lee Horne for Governor web site Independent Anthony Gentile for Governor web site John Georges for Governor web site Governor 2007 Louisiana Category:Indian-American history Category:November 2007 in the United States