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Was there a particular reason Cajun voters were unhappy with Reagan/GOP in late 80s? (Map)
Posted on 1/18/26 at 10:50 am
Posted on 1/18/26 at 10:50 am
I saw this on Wikipedia. Vice President HW Bush won the state, but he lost more than 10 Cajun Parishes that Reagan had won 4 years prior.
The map also shows that whites in the state who were not Cajun stuck with the GOP. I.e: among Louisiana white voters, Cajun voters were more democratic than non-Cajun whites.
It just seems weird to be that a whole bunch of socially conservative Cajun voters flocked to the polls to vote for a very liberal candidate from Massachusetts. What happened?
One thing that came to my mind was that they liked that Dukakis was Eastern Orthodox?
The map also shows that whites in the state who were not Cajun stuck with the GOP. I.e: among Louisiana white voters, Cajun voters were more democratic than non-Cajun whites.
It just seems weird to be that a whole bunch of socially conservative Cajun voters flocked to the polls to vote for a very liberal candidate from Massachusetts. What happened?
One thing that came to my mind was that they liked that Dukakis was Eastern Orthodox?
16
Posted on 1/18/26 at 10:54 am to HailHailtoMichigan!
Acadiana used to be heavy Democrat due to the Huey Long legacy. It’s still there (see JBE), but the effect has weakened considerably.
Posted on 1/18/26 at 10:57 am to HailHailtoMichigan!
The Edwin Edwards influence.
Posted on 1/18/26 at 10:59 am to HailHailtoMichigan!
Oil prices and alcohol. There was a massive collapse in oil prices under Ronald Reagan. This triggered an economic collapse in south Louisiana which it has NEVER recovered from.
Ronald Reagan’s administration aligned with MADD to make drunk driving illegal and threatened to pull highway funds unless Louisiana raised its drinking age.
Combine that with the popularity of democrat Edwin Edwards and the political machine of the time, and there’s your answer.
Ronald Reagan’s administration aligned with MADD to make drunk driving illegal and threatened to pull highway funds unless Louisiana raised its drinking age.
Combine that with the popularity of democrat Edwin Edwards and the political machine of the time, and there’s your answer.
This post was edited on 1/18/26 at 11:00 am
Posted on 1/18/26 at 10:59 am to HailHailtoMichigan!
Dukakis was short. They could identify with him.
Posted on 1/18/26 at 10:59 am to RidiculousHype
quote:
Acadiana used to be heavy Democrat due to the Huey Long legacy. It’s still there (see JBE), but the effect has weakened considerably.
John Breaux wielded a lot more influence in that region during this particular era . Louisiana can be a silly state politically.
Posted on 1/18/26 at 11:02 am to HailHailtoMichigan!
In addition to the above points about the old Blue Dog Democratic south, the Iran Contra scandal had taken some of the luster off of the Reagan era, and Bush Sr’s ties to the CIA was not a positive selling point.
Posted on 1/18/26 at 11:05 am to HailHailtoMichigan!
Lafayette is full of commies.
Landry is a Democrat but he thinks he’s conservative because everyone he grew up with are Socialists.
Landry is a Democrat but he thinks he’s conservative because everyone he grew up with are Socialists.
This post was edited on 1/18/26 at 11:06 am
Posted on 1/18/26 at 11:06 am to HailHailtoMichigan!
My grandparents were full authentic Cajuns. They pretty much only spoke French unless in public or around the grandkids.
They were ‘Southern Democrats’ who blindly voted for the little D candidate their whole lives (like their parents before them). I remember my grandpa liked Reagan, but he didn’t vote for him. He despised Bush, and republicans were supposedly the party of the ‘rich people’.
It wasn’t until 1995 Governors election that my grandpa voted Republican for first time in his life. He said “ain’t no way I can vote for Urkel as governor”
They were ‘Southern Democrats’ who blindly voted for the little D candidate their whole lives (like their parents before them). I remember my grandpa liked Reagan, but he didn’t vote for him. He despised Bush, and republicans were supposedly the party of the ‘rich people’.
It wasn’t until 1995 Governors election that my grandpa voted Republican for first time in his life. He said “ain’t no way I can vote for Urkel as governor”
Posted on 1/18/26 at 11:06 am to TigerAllNightLong
quote:
Lafayette is full of commies.
Is this true? That’s not been my experience.
Posted on 1/18/26 at 11:06 am to kingbob
quote:
Louisiana raised its drinking age.
Louisiana had a drinking age? That news didn't hit New Iberia.
Posted on 1/18/26 at 11:07 am to HailHailtoMichigan!
quote:It took awhile for the republican effect to actually be whole in Acadiana. I can remember old people back then being super blinkered on issues. Billy Tauzin was always re-elected (Democrat).
Was there a particular reason Cajun voters were unhappy with Reagan/GOP in late 80s? (Map)
I knew some old Cajun people who didn't vote for Reagan or Bush because "all they want to do is give money to blacks".
Posted on 1/18/26 at 11:07 am to HailHailtoMichigan!
Bush was hated by so many who loved Reagan. Now it is obvious why!!
Posted on 1/18/26 at 11:11 am to Jimbeaux
quote:
Lafayette is full of commies.
Is this true? That’s not been my experience.
Nah. They just don’t really like the Country Club WASPy kinda republicans. HW was sort of the textbook example of that.
Dukakis was an absolutely atrocious alternative to that, though. That’s why it’s foolish not to understand how the choice for President is never really going to be anything but almost purely binary. I have a hard time taking seriously anyone who tries to pretend otherwise.
Posted on 1/18/26 at 11:39 am to kingbob
Reagan deregulated oil industry.
Prices went down....
Prices went down....
Posted on 1/18/26 at 11:45 am to prplhze2000
Yeah, it’s certainly also hard to overlook how much the oil crash of that time sent that region into a complete tailspin.
Posted on 1/18/26 at 11:57 am to Y.A. Tittle
Oil revenue was like 70% of the state government’s budget back then. Today it’s less than 20%.
Posted on 1/18/26 at 12:00 pm to ragincajun03
quote:
The Edwin Edwards influence.
This....
I like the Cajun people (even Couyon Angelle), but they gave us 4 terms of that crook.
Posted on 1/18/26 at 12:03 pm to KCT
quote:
they gave us 4 terms of that crook
And weird thing…I think EWE was from Avoyelles Parish.
They have a monument of him at the entrance of the Acadia Parish courthouse. Someone should remove it and throw it in the Mermentau River, just like the statute of Huey Long in front the State Capitol should be thrown in the Mississippi.
Posted on 1/18/26 at 12:19 pm to HailHailtoMichigan!
All the old cajuns used to vote Dem. They are almost all gone now.
That was some wild shifts 1980 through 1988.
That was some wild shifts 1980 through 1988.
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