Started By
Message
locked post

Edwin Edwards vs. David Duke Governor Race 1991

Posted on 2/9/19 at 12:03 pm
Posted by inkorrect
Member since Feb 2019
25 posts
Posted on 2/9/19 at 12:03 pm
People that were alive during this, what was that experience like?
Posted by Oilfieldbiology
Member since Nov 2016
37719 posts
Posted on 2/9/19 at 12:05 pm to
Not alive so I can’t say, but it’s a sad commentary in LA politics that the better candidate won and that candidate was Edwin fricking Edwards
Posted by thebigmuffaletta
Member since Aug 2017
13310 posts
Posted on 2/9/19 at 12:06 pm to
Vote for the crook, it's important
Posted by slaphappy
Kansas City
Member since Nov 2005
2340 posts
Posted on 2/9/19 at 12:06 pm to
Vote For The Crook. It’s Important!
Posted by Parmen
Member since Apr 2016
18317 posts
Posted on 2/9/19 at 12:06 pm to
quote:

inkorrect
Member since Feb 2019
2 posts
Online



Nice alter.

Took Parent's class on Louisiana Government at LSU and this was discussed at one point. Probably the most interesting gubernatorial election in US history.
Posted by zeebo
Hammond
Member since Jan 2008
5218 posts
Posted on 2/9/19 at 12:08 pm to
I remember running into a friends mother in a bank. I told her that some were predicting a run off with these two. She almost fainted. She was a Republican grand dame. She held her nose and voted for Edwards. As did so many of us. There was a bumper sticker that said,”Vote for the Crook. It’s important!”
Posted by Zach
Gizmonic Institute
Member since May 2005
112773 posts
Posted on 2/9/19 at 12:09 pm to
Boring. Everyone knew Edwards would win and he did. The tense race was for Senate between Bennett Johnston and Duke.
BJ was a heavy favorite. Polls had him way up. Then he voted against Robert Bork for SC because the Dem leadership commanded it. The La. public was for Bork.
They got pissed at him and voted for Duke who came very close to winning.

When Clarence Thomas came up for vote the Dems did it again...demanding that Johnston vote 'no.' Johnston said "I learned my lesson' and voted for Thomas who was very much favored by La. voters.
Posted by BornAndRaised_LA
Springfield, VA
Member since Oct 2018
5339 posts
Posted on 2/9/19 at 12:09 pm to
It was bizarre watching SNL make fun of a state-level race, especially in the South.
Posted by CoolKat
Member since Apr 2016
393 posts
Posted on 2/9/19 at 12:13 pm to
I frequently look back at that election with great introspection. I was a freshman in college, first governor's vote for me, away from home on college campus, changing perceptions on race and equality had already begun. Was forced to vote for a known crook or a known racist (dem vs rep, next to the names). Won't say who I cast my vote for, but it is not one of my proudest moments, in hindsight.

I went to campaign speeches for both on my college campus. They both talked an incredibly good game and made you believe they were over their prior indiscretions.

What a terrible choice my soul had to make....
Posted by byeyoutiger
Member since Oct 2018
98 posts
Posted on 2/9/19 at 12:13 pm to
Felt to me like Louisiana was scrapping the bottom of the barrel. The KKK racist vs the La Gov who a few years later would be convicted and sent to prison. Edwards served as governor over a 24 year period...1972-80/84-88/92-96 I'm just glad Ronald Reagan was elected President and even though it was toward the end of his second term I always believed the popularity of Reagan was the x factor that helped Roemer defeat Edwards who was running for re election. But Louisiana was hurt and embarrassed when Duke edged out Roemer for the Republican nomination and Roemer's bid for a second term. Edwards saw his chance to get back into office because of the Duke candidacy. It also revealed how weak the sitting governor, Roemer had become...losing the nomination to Duke, who ran as the Republican.
This post was edited on 2/9/19 at 12:40 pm
Posted by OTIS2
NoLA
Member since Jul 2008
50283 posts
Posted on 2/9/19 at 12:32 pm to
I voted for the crook.
Posted by Giantkiller
the internet.
Member since Sep 2007
20670 posts
Posted on 2/9/19 at 12:43 pm to
I remember Dan Ackroyd being on the Arsenio Hall show and passionately begging Louisiana to not vote for David Duke. It was pretty weird and embarrassing.

Thankfully this is only things that could happen pre-internet. Today there’s no way Duke could ever gain traction in the first place.
Posted by jdd48
Baton Rouge
Member since Jan 2012
22173 posts
Posted on 2/9/19 at 12:52 pm to
quote:

People that were alive during this, what was that experience like?


Surreal. Edwards was running ads with footage of Duke leading a cross burning. Duke paid for air time to try to explain away his past. It came off as completely phony of course, because he is still a racist to this day. Edwards was a known corrupt official. It was the textbook example of voting for the lesser of two evils.

Edwards also blasted Duke with one of his infamous zingers: "The only thing we have in common is we’re both wizards under the sheets."
This post was edited on 2/9/19 at 6:43 pm
Posted by OleWar
Troy H. Middleton Library
Member since Mar 2008
5828 posts
Posted on 2/9/19 at 1:03 pm to
A better question is what was Louisiana like in 1991 to get to this point. And either you have to realize it had reached the point of complete degeneracy in terms of crime, individuals on the dole and its abuse, government corruption, taxes, broken public schools etc etc.

I can't figure out if things have gotten better or we have just become more complacent. Probably a bit of both.
Posted by Caddo
Member since Dec 2014
445 posts
Posted on 2/9/19 at 1:11 pm to
I still have my David Duke for Governor t shirt stuffed away in the back of my closet. Thought it might be a collectors item one day.
Posted by Jimmy2shoes
The South
Member since Mar 2014
11004 posts
Posted on 2/9/19 at 1:16 pm to
we knew we could get back to robbing and stealing with EWE
Posted by beerJeep
Louisiana
Member since Nov 2016
35299 posts
Posted on 2/9/19 at 1:18 pm to
I was alive.

quote:

what was that experience like?


Not bad. Got to suck on titties and lay around all day.
Posted by 6R12
Louisiana
Member since Feb 2005
8840 posts
Posted on 2/9/19 at 1:25 pm to
It really was sad. Ironically, Duke's voting record always showed he was far more conservative with his votes in comparison to EWE. He was just as racist as EWE was. They both were sad choices for us.
Posted by prplhze2000
Parts Unknown
Member since Jan 2007
51621 posts
Posted on 2/9/19 at 1:39 pm to
Surreal
Posted by geauxbrown
Louisiana
Member since Oct 2006
19784 posts
Posted on 2/9/19 at 1:53 pm to
I voted for the Klucker. I was 24 and had spent time around Edwards so I knew he was just as big of a racist as Duke.

My family hated Edwards.
first pageprev pagePage 1 of 4Next pagelast page

Back to top
logoFollow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to get the latest updates on LSU Football and Recruiting.

FacebookTwitterInstagram