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Now that's intriguingPrologue: The Rise of the Blue DogsIt was Tuesday night, November 5th, 2024 & everyone was surprised by the election results, the margin of victory & the massive beatdown. "What in the Hell just happened?" quipped one political analyst, "How did this guy from Louisiana punk that stupid Barbie doll from South Dakota?" , referring to SD Governor Kristi Noem (R).
10:47 PM CST, Tuesday, November 5th, 2024
Renaissance Hotel, Baton Rouge, LA
November 5th, 2024: Former LA Governor John Bel Edwards (D) addressing supporters at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Baton Rouge after all of the national TV networks projected him as the 52nd President of the United States in the 2024 Presidential election.
After serving two successful terms as LA's 56th Governor from January 11th, 2016 to January 8th, 2024, John Bel Edwards (D), despite facing an openly-hostile Republican-controlled LA State Legislature, had accomplished quite alot, leaving the LA Governor's Mansion with a resounding 73% approval rating among all Louisianans with strong approval among all demographics, 18-34 year-olds, both political parties as well as Independents. He was succeeded by United States Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), who won the 2023 Gubernatorial elections defeating very easily without a runoff.
Back to the election results: Edwards' landslide victory resulted in some coattails due to his moderate-to-conservative Southern Strategy: Down-ballot contests is where the following occurred: Democrats picked up one Senate seat in Texas, where San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg (D) defeated US Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX); however, Democrats lost Senate seats in Ohio, West Virginia, Montana & Wisconsin, which resulted in the Republicans keeping their majority in the United States Senate; Democrats managed to pick up 13 seats in the US House of Representatives, but fell short of winning a majority as a result of the Republican wave of the 2022 Midterms.
In the Governorships: Democrats picked up the following: New Hampshire (Sununu chose not to seek reelection to 5th term); West Virginia (Manchin returned to 3rd non-consecutive term) while holding onto Delaware, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, North Carolina (NC State Attorney General Josh Stein (D) won the Governorship, keeping the NC Executive Mansion in Democratic hands) & WA St (Inslee won reelection to historic 4th term with 73% of the statewide vote, sweeping all 39 counties in the Evergreen State).
Republicans kept the following Governorships: Indiana (IN State Attorney General Todd Rokita (R) kept the Governorship in Republican control); Montana (Gianforte easily won reelection with 63%); Missouri (MO Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft (R) won in landslide); Vermont (VT Governor Phil Scott (R) won 5th term in massive landslide victory with 71%); North Dakota (Burgum easily won 3rd term) & Utah (Cox won reelection overwhelmingly with 83%).
Looking at the down-ballot contests across the country as a result of Edwards' landslide victory: the Democrats regained several state legislatures across the country: Michigan (Democrats flipped control of the MI House of Representatives); New Hampshire (Democrats flipped control of both NH House of Representatives & NH State Senate); North Carolina (Democrats flipped control of both NC House of Representatives & NC State Senate) & Arizona (AZ Democrats flipped control of the AZ State Senate, while forcing a near tie in the AZ House of Representatives).
But first things first, a look back on how we got there....................
Former LA Governor John Bel Edwards (D-LA)/MI Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI): 88,773,056 (57.31%) 416 Electoral Votes: Declared Winner
SD Governor Kristi Noem (R-SD)/United States Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO): 58,014,583 (38.20%) 134 Electoral Votes
He may not have been a good president but man was a caring individual.
I'll be working on a detailed segment about Carter later in this TL once the sad inevitable news is announced when that time comes.
