re: How did Edwin Edwards beat Dave Treen so bad in the 1983 governors race?

Because every single iota of Louisiana is corrupt, down to the subatomic level.

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Louisiana LOVES populism. That's how Edwards beat Treen.

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Excellent post and spot on.

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The only reason Treen won in 1979 is because Edwards was ineligible to run. Edwards was still king in Louisiana.

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BINGO!

That plus many Louisiana voters - like few of my uncles - voted Democrat even though they were strongly conservative. Very different time politically.

Edwards knew how to get things done and cut through all the bullshite. He also was considered by blue collar whites to be a frick you to the establishment elites.

It was an interesting time

Treen was viewed as conservative and boring. He didn’t play well outside of Metairie and the northshore while Edwards was popular everywhere else.
He had the cajun appeal and political issues back then was very different. Louisiana was good ole boy and edwards knew how to play that. Edwards got People paid while Treen was a Boy Scout.

Edwards was NEVER popular in Shreveport/Bossier

Treen ran an inept campaign against one of the most wily politicians in Louisiana if not recent US history. Treen lost that election the night he he beat Louis Lambert. Edwards had worked old political bosses to get Treen elected. He was always going to run in 1983. He did not want to run against against another Democrat who might be able to build a following.

Edwards understood Louisiana better than most. He certainly understood Louisiana better than Treen. Edwards knew he would get the New Orleans vote and he knew he would get the Acadiana vote. Plus he was from Marksville which was the dividing line beyween redneck and Cajun. So he spoke their language.

It was a different time politically. The lines were blurred back then and the local economy was shite and Treen could not do anything to pull out of it.Edwards learned later that he couldn't either.Edwards had the common touch that Treen being from Old Metairie could not pull off. Plus Edwards was quicker witted.

Politics especially campaigns is retail or at least used to be. Edwards loved a crowd. loved pressing the flesh and loved playing politics and was very good at it. He was also pretty effective given the times. You saw something of a replay of this in the JBE/Vitter race in 2015

#1 reason was Blue Dog Democrats. No Republicans had won since reconstruction.
Next women found him sexy and voted with their vagaygays.
Blacks were firmly on the plantation.
He promised everyone everything.
Got lucky with oil boom.

He always was crooked. Was destroyed by the oil bust, and finally went to prison. Speculation that pardon selling got his brother Nolan killed was widespread.

Many forget that Treen did not purge all the Edwards appointees in state government. Edwards was running the state govt as a de facto governor while Treen was governor because of this. Edwards knew what Treen was going to do before he did it. It also did not help that Treen had the personality of a sheet of plywood. Read the book Just takin Orders.

The book to read on the 1983 governor election is "The Last Hayride" by Jofn Maginnis. It is very entertaining and a good read.

Female Reporter: "Edwin Edwards, I told you I don't screw politicians"

Edwin Edwards: " OK, then what about a blow job ????"

Classic.