Are LA's Catholics the reason it is more willing to vote Dem then AL, MS, ect?

[smoltchanov]

Is LA's decently sized Catholic population the reason it is (or was, during 1990s/2000s) more willing to vote Dem statewide than MS, AL, GA & SC? No doubt southern Catholics are very conservative on social issues, however they lack the political organizing of the religious right that Protestants have.

It was, but seems - no more. Since Obama's election in 2008 (approximately) Acadiana turned sharply right. It still elects considerable number of Democrats to state legislature, but even that may change next year, when most of them will be term limited.

[smoltchanov]

The old Protestant-Catholic distinction began breaking down when the Culture Wars entered politics in the late 20th century.

Now it's more of an 'Evangelical Protestants + Traditional Catholics' vs. 'Mainline Protestants + Liberal/Cafeteria Catholics' divide.

Absolutely agree. Acadiana moved sharply right of late, while Shreveport and Baton Rouge areas - IMHO, slowly left.

[smoltchanov]

Well, i agree that strong recent swing among LA catholics was caused by combination of reasons. Still, the most important to me is continuing liberalisation of position of national (and state) Democratic party on social issues - abortion and "gay marriage" (first, probably, being the most important). Remaining Democratic officeholders in Acadiana (in legislature, for example, where almost all of them will leave next year, and most - will be replaced by Republicans) are almost all almost 100% pro-life. That stresses again what is an axiom to me: candidates must fit their districts!! In Acadiana you MUST run 100% pro-life (and not so liberal on most other social issues) candidates if you want to win,  and not being ashamed of this. And not only there... And - i say it as solidly pro-choice man himself... Present situation, with 99% of Republican congressional candidates being pro-life, and 99% of Democratic - pro-choice, is more, then idiotic.

[smoltchanov]

As for the thread topic, it does appear that LA non-Cajun whites are very similar to those of MS and AL.

Why anyone must expect them be different?

[smoltchanov]

As for the thread topic, it does appear that LA non-Cajun whites are very similar to those of MS and AL.

Why anyone must expect them be different?

Except in 1996 when Bubba won enough of them in Louisiana to win the North part of the state (and state as a whole) but not MS or AL

Probably - there are some parts of Alabama and Mississippi he won too. Just not so geographically distinctive. Plus - Shreveport, which is, IIRC, much less conservative now, then 50 years ago, when it was one of the centers of Goldwater-style conservatism even among Democratic officeholders.

[smoltchanov]

As for the thread topic, it does appear that LA non-Cajun whites are very similar to those of MS and AL.

Why anyone must expect them be different?

Except in 1996 when Bubba won enough of them in Louisiana to win the North part of the state (and state as a whole) but not MS or AL

Probably - there are some parts of Alabama and Mississippi he won too. Just not so geographically distinctive. Plus - Shreveport, which is, IIRC, much less conservative now, then 50 years ago, when it was one of the centers of Goldwater-style conservatism even among Democratic officeholders.

Well, Shreveport is less conservative now than in the Goldwater era for the same reason Mississippi is less conservative--blacks get to vote now.  North Louisiana is slightly less black than Mississippi but more than Alabama, so again the question is why did Bubba win North Louisiana but not Mississippi?

The only reasonable answer - history. North Louisiana was Long country for a long time, hence - some traditition of rural populism among it's whites (more so, then in plantation Mississippi). Now it's almost completely disappeared: whites vote .. as "whites" (Republican), blacks - as "blacks" (Democratic). Bigger polarization of vote by race then in mid 1990th.

[smoltchanov]

As for the thread topic, it does appear that LA non-Cajun whites are very similar to those of MS and AL.

Why anyone must expect them be different?

Except in 1996 when Bubba won enough of them in Louisiana to win the North part of the state (and state as a whole) but not MS or AL

Probably - there are some parts of Alabama and Mississippi he won too. Just not so geographically distinctive. Plus - Shreveport, which is, IIRC, much less conservative now, then 50 years ago, when it was one of the centers of Goldwater-style conservatism even among Democratic officeholders.

Well, Shreveport is less conservative now than in the Goldwater era for the same reason Mississippi is less conservative--blacks get to vote now.  North Louisiana is slightly less black than Mississippi but more than Alabama, so again the question is why did Bubba win North Louisiana but not Mississippi?

The only reasonable answer - history. North Louisiana was Long country for a long time, hence - some traditition of rural populism among it's whites (more so, then in plantation Mississippi). Now it's almost completely disappeared: whites vote .. as "whites" (Republican), blacks - as "blacks" (Democratic). Bigger polarization of vote by race then in mid 1990th.

Slight nit pick, MS whites are not nor have they ever been "plantation" people for the most part. The MS whites who gave Trump 90% of the vote in the state are pretty much rednecks except a select few.

Generally speaking, white people began voting deep red in LA later than in AL or MS though. In 2004 some 25% or so voted for Kerry (less than 20% did in the others). It was really in 2008 that the change started to occur, when all those formerly Dem cajuns realized that a man of color was running for president.

No objections. I always stressed this moment and this reason too.

[smoltchanov]

Rural areas of LA are pretty similar to most of AL and MS.

The difference is New Orleans.

Right now - yes. But - look for 1964 election results. Mississippi, rural NORTH Louisiana and Alabama - all for Goldwater, Acadiana and vicinity (no less rural) - for Johnson. This difference persisted for many years.