1991 Louisiana gubernatorial election

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1991 Louisiana gubernatorial election
Flag of Louisiana (1912-2006).svg
  1987 October 19, 1991 (first round)
November 16, 1991 (runoff)
1995  
  Edwin Edwards (1986) (cropped).png David Duke.jpg
Candidate Edwin Edwards David Duke
Party Democratic Republican
First round523,096
33.76%
491,342
31.71%
Runoff1,057,031
61.17%
671,009
38.83%

  Buddy Roemer Congress.jpg Clyde C. Holloway.jpg
Candidate Buddy Roemer Clyde C. Holloway
Party Republican Republican
First round410,690
26.51%
82,683
5.34%
RunoffEliminatedEliminated

1991 Louisiana gubernatorial election results map by parish.svg
1991 Louisiana gubernatorial runoff election results map by parish.svg
Edwards:     30–40%     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     80–90%
Duke:     30–40%     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%
Roemer:     30–40%     40–50%

Governor before election

Buddy Roemer
Republican

Elected Governor

Edwin Edwards
Democratic

The 1991 Louisiana gubernatorial election resulted in the election of Democrat Edwin Edwards to his fourth non-consecutive term as governor of Louisiana. The election received national and international attention due to the unexpectedly strong showing of David Duke, a former Grand Wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, who had ties to other white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups. Incumbent Republican Governor Buddy Roemer, who had switched from the Democratic to Republican Party during his term, ran for re-election to a second term but was eliminated in the first round of voting.

Contents

Background

In 1991, all elections in Louisiana except U.S. presidential elections followed a variation of the open primary system called the jungle primary. Candidates of all parties are listed on one ballot; voters need not limit themselves to the candidates of one party. Unless one candidate takes 50% or more of the vote in the first round, a run-off election is then held between the top two candidates, who may be members of the same party. In this election, the first round of voting was held on October 19, 1991, and the runoff was held on November 16. In 1990, Duke mounted a campaign for the U.S. Senate, losing to incumbent Democrat J. Bennett Johnston. Leading Republicans repudiated Duke's candidacy, citing his history as a white supremacist.

Public Service Commissioner Kathleen Blanco, a Democrat, announced her candidacy in May 1991. Edwards was not impressed by her entry. It was the first time in 40 years a woman had seriously run for Governor but Edwards surmised she would not get out of single digits. Blanco, who came from Acadiana, could have complicated Edwards' bid for a fourth term but after 100 days she suddenly withdrew and ran for Public Service Commissioner again. [1] Blanco would later be elected governor in her own right in 2003.

Meanwhile, Governor Roemer was facing a potential opponent for the Republican support who could have denied him major party support he needed to stave off Holloway and Duke. Another prominent party-switcher, Secretary of State Fox McKeithen, who withdrew from a 1990 U.S. Senate bid, actively explored a gubernatorial bid. His father, former Governor John McKeithen, would prove to be a strong asset had he run, but in the end, McKeithen figured that his time had come and gone and ran for reelection as Secretary of State. [2]

Primary election

After the withdrawal of Blanco and McKeithen, the field of candidates began to solidify. Then late in March, incumbent Governor Buddy Roemer changed his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican, dismaying many members of both parties. One irate Republican was the state party chairman, Billy Nungesser of New Orleans. After failing to get the Louisiana Republicans' endorsement convention canceled, Roemer announced he would skip the event. The convention, as expected, endorsed U.S. Representative Clyde C. Holloway, the favored candidate of the anti-abortion forces in the state, with whom Roemer was at odds at the time. [3]

The first round primary gubernatorial contest included Roemer, Edwin Edwards, David Duke, and Eighth District Congressman Holloway who all ran in Louisiana's open primary. Roemer was wounded by his mistakes as governor, while Edwards and Duke each had a passionate core group of supporters. Roemer placed third in the primary. One of the contributing factors to his defeat was a last-minute advertising barrage by Marine Shale owner Jack Kent; Marine Shale had been targeted by the Roemer administration as a polluter, and Kent spent $500,000 of his own money in the closing days of the campaign to purchase anti-Roemer commercials.

Results

First voting round, October 19

1991 Louisiana gubernatorial election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Edwin Edwards 523,09633.76
Republican David Duke 491,34231.71
Republican Buddy Roemer (incumbent)410,69026.51
Republican Clyde C. Holloway 82,6835.34
Democratic Sam S. Jones 11,8470.76
Other Ed Karst 9,6630.62
Democratic Fred Dent7,3850.48
Republican Anne Thompson4,1180.27
Democratic Jim Crowley4,0000.26
Democratic Albert Powell2,0530.13
OtherRonnie Johnson1,3720.09
Democratic Cousin Ken Lewis1,0060.06
Total1,549,255100

Runoff election

Campaign

Faced with the alternative of David Duke, many Louisianans who were otherwise critical of Edwards now looked favorably on him as an alternative. This included Buddy Roemer, who ran on an "Anyone but Edwards" platform during his successful 1987 campaign. He ended up endorsing Edwards rather than Duke, who was the putative Republican candidate.

The resulting runoff campaign was widely seen as one of the dirtiest and most negative campaigns in recent history. [4] Edwards and his supporters seized on Duke's record as a white supremacist; Duke responded by claiming to be a born-again Christian who had renounced racism and anti-Semitism after his conversion. [5]

Nearly the entire Republican leadership rejected Duke's candidacy. In a news conference, President George H. W. Bush condemned Duke as unfit for public office, stating: [5]

When someone has a long record, an ugly record, of racism and bigotry, that record simply cannot be erased by the glib rhetoric of a political campaign. So I believe David Duke is an insincere charlatan. I believe he's attempting to hoodwink the voters of Louisiana. I believe he should be rejected for what he is and what he stands for.

Humorous unofficial bumper stickers were created in support of Edwards over Duke, despite Edwards' negative reputation. One bumper sticker read "Vote for the Lizard, not the Wizard", while another read "Vote For The Crook: It's Important." [6] [7] [8]

Anti-Duke poster in New Orleans. French Quarter shop window New Orleans 1991 - No DuKKKes 02.jpg
Anti-Duke poster in New Orleans.

Debate

The runoff debate, held on November 6, 1991, received significant attention when reporter Norman Robinson questioned Duke. Robinson, who is African-American, told Duke that he was "scared" at the prospect of his winning the election because of his history of "diabolical, evil, vile" racist and anti-Semitic comments, some of which he read to Duke. He then pressed Duke for an apology. When Duke protested that Robinson was not being fair to him, Robinson replied that he did not think Duke was being honest. Jason Berry of the Los Angeles Times called it "startling TV" and the "catalyst" for the "overwhelming" turnout of black voters that helped former Governor Edwin Edwards defeat Duke. [9]

Results

Runoff, November 16

1991 Louisiana gubernatorial election runoff
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Edwin Edwards 1,057,03161.17
Republican David Duke 671,00938.83
Majority386,02222.34
Total1,728,040100
Democratic gain from Republican
Runoff results by parish [10]
ParishEdwin Washington Edwards
Democratic
David Ernest Duke
Republican
MarginTotal votes cast
#%#%#%
Acadia 14,92860.44%9,77239.56%5,15620.88%24,700
Allen 6,17160.46%4,03639.54%2,13520.92%10,207
Ascension 14,79253.48%12,86746.52%1,9256.96%27,659
Assumption 6,48859.67%4,38540.33%2,10319.34%10,873
Avoyelles 9,04453.72%7,79246.28%1,2527.44%16,836
Beauregard 5,56546.70%6,35153.30%7866.60%11,916
Bienville 4,68559.30%3,21640.70%1,46918.60%7,901
Bossier 14,53650.14%14,45749.86%790.28%28,993
Caddo 59,93364.08%33,59135.92%26,34228.16%93,524
Calcasieu 40,61765.71%21,19334.29%19,42431.42%61,810
Caldwell 2,11237.04%3,59062.96%1,47815.92%5,702
Cameron 2,66964.75%1,45335.25%1,21619.50%4,122
Catahoula 2,81544.79%3,47055.21%65510.42%6,285
Claiborne 4,32957.70%3,17442.30%1,15515.40%7,503
Concordia 4,54447.41%5,04052.59%4965.18%9,584
De Soto 6,60759.11%4,57140.89%2,03618.22%11,178
East Baton Rouge 100,13866.41%50,65633.59%49,48232.82%150,794
East Carroll 3,01768.98%1,35731.02%1,66037.96%4,374
East Feliciana 4,94959.55%3,36240.45%1,58719.10%8,311
Evangeline 8,94754.50%7,47045.50%1,4779.00%16,417
Franklin 4,41041.65%6,17958.35%1,76916.70%10,589
Grant 3,51643.86%4,50056.14%98412.28%8,016
Iberia 16,59456.43%12,81443.57%3,78012.86%29,408
Iberville 10,69364.56%5,87035.44%4,82329.12%16,563
Jackson 3,34544.49%4,17355.51%82811.02%7,518
Jefferson 102,26159.30%70,18340.70%32,07818.60%172,444
Jefferson Davis 8,58163.79%4,87036.21%3,71127.58%13,451
Lafayette 40,81664.63%22,33635.37%18,48029.26%63,152
Lafourche 21,34659.29%14,65540.71%6,69118.58%36,001
LaSalle 2,43233.12%4,91066.88%2,47833.76%7,342
Lincoln 9,38261.22%5,94338.78%3,43922.44%15,325
Livingston 12,15239.58%18,55460.42%6,40220.84%30,706
Madison 3,58261.04%2,28638.96%1,29622.08%5,868
Morehouse 6,51747.30%7,26152.70%7445.60%13,778
Natchitoches 8,87058.24%6,36041.76%2,51016.48%15,230
Orleans 173,74487.02%25,92112.98%147,82374.04%199,665
Ouachita 26,13749.45%26,72250.55%5851.10%52,859
Plaquemines 6,68955.79%5,30144.21%1,38811.58%11,990
Pointe Coupee 7,43061.32%4,68738.68%2,74322.64%12,117
Rapides 27,63855.95%21,76244.05%5,87611.90%49,400
Red River 2,67453.34%2,33946.66%3356.68%5,013
Richland 3,97043.39%5,17956.61%1,20913.22%9,149
Sabine 4,63546.88%5,25153.12%6166.24%9,886
St. Bernard 14,39444.23%18,15355.77%3,75911.54%32,547
St. Charles 12,68061.66%7,88538.34%4,79523.32%20,565
St. Helena 3,70060.18%2,44839.82%1,25220.36%6,148
St. James 8,02866.34%4,07433.66%3,95432.68%12,102
St. John the Baptist 11,99364.21%6,68535.79%5,30828.42%18,678
St. Landry 23,36261.34%14,72538.66%8,63722.68%38,087
St. Martin 12,72664.20%7,09535.80%5,63128.40%19,821
St. Mary 15,03961.42%9,44738.58%5,59222.84%24,486
St. Tammany 32,67855.88%25,80044.12%6,87811.76%58,478
Tangipahoa 18,77953.28%16,46946.72%2,3106.56%35,248
Tensas 1,99358.84%1,39441.16%59917.68%3,387
Terrebonne 19,79959.17%13,66240.83%6,13718.34%33,461
Union 4,02940.09%6,02059.91%1,99119.82%10,049
Vermillion 14,47764.75%7,88235.25%6,59529.50%22,359
Vernon 6,67649.33%6,85650.67%1801.31%13,532
Washington 9,15746.40%10,57753.60%1,4207.20%19,734
Webster 9,02451.77%8,40648.23%6183.54%17,430
West Baton Rouge 6,01659.52%4,09240.48%1,02419.04%10,108
West Carroll 1,62531.12%3,59668.88%1,97137.76%5,221
West Feliciana 2,89664.47%1,59635.53%1,30028.94%4,492
Winn 3,66046.05%4,28853.95%6287.90%7,948
Totals1,057,03161.17%671,00938.83%386,02222.34%1,728,040

Analysis

Edwards' large victory was credited to his almost unanimous support from black voters, who had a turnout of 80%. He also won 75% of voters who supported Roemer. 63% of female voters and 59% of male voters supported Edwards. Duke received 56% of white voters with family incomes under $15,000, 63% of those with incomes between $15,000 and $29,999, and 60% of those with incomes between $30,000 and $49,999. 51% of white voters with family incomes between $50,000 and $74,999 and 66% with incomes above $75,000 supported Edwards. [11]

References

  1. Bridges, Tyler (December 7, 2004). "Blanco's Bid". New Orleans News and Entertainment. Archived from the original on January 4, 2015. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  2. Sadow, Jeff (December 16, 2009). "McKeithen's death raises provocative questions". Between The Lines. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  3. Thomas, Patrick (June 14, 1991). "Louisiana GOP Expected to Reject Roemer". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  4. Levin, Josh (July 15, 2020). "David Duke's War Against Two Louisiana Governors". Slate. ISSN   1091-2339 . Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  5. 1 2 Suro, David (July 2, 1996). "The 1991 Election: Louisiana – Bush Denounces Duke As Racist and Charlatan". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 29, 2018. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
  6. Riley, Michael; Winbush, Don; Woodbury, Richard (November 25, 1991). "The No-Win Election". TIME Magazine. Retrieved August 17, 2025.
  7. "Voters to pick 'scoundrel' or ex-KKK Grand Wizard" Archived 2016-04-24 at the Wayback Machine , Milwaukee Sentinel, November 15, 1991
  8. Photo of bumper sticker Archived September 25, 2012, at the Wayback Machine , New Orleans Times-Picayune
  9. Berry, Jason (November 24, 1991). "Duke Gets His Comeuppance From the Victims of His Hate Message : Politics: Up until an amazing TV exchange, Louisiana's blacks had remained on the sidelines. Then they flooded the polls". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 20, 2014. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  10. "Nov 16 1991 (by parish) Election Results". sos.la.gov. Louisiana Secretary of State. Archived from the original on May 18, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  11. Applebome, Peter (November 18, 1991). "Blacks and Affluent Whites Give Edwards Victory". The New York Times . Archived from the original on January 15, 2024.

Sources