… “You got to give me a big win, please, O.K.,” the president pleaded with a red-hatted crowd last Thursday in Bossier City, La. But on Saturday night, Mr. Trump’s wager backfired in spectacular fashion. Not only did Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, win re-election by more than 40,000 […] Read more »
In a battleground town, sharp divisions over impeachment but few changed minds
NAZARETH, Pa. — This is a town capable of changing its mind. A white working-class Democratic stronghold in the green hills of Pennsylvania Dutch country, Nazareth voted twice for Barack Obama before flipping to Donald Trump in 2016 and helping to deliver him the state — and the White House. […] Read more »
Why Republicans lost another deep-red state in Louisiana governor’s election
For the second time this month, Republican President Donald Trump failed to carry a Republican gubernatorial candidate across the finish line in a deep-red state. Last time, Kentucky was the stage. This time it was Louisiana. … The Democrat’s victory Saturday is another demonstration of the limits of Trump’s appeal […] Read more »
Another warning for Republicans: Trump can’t win you your election
After Republicans edged out Democrats in a number of special elections in 2017, Democrats consoled themselves by noting how close they’d run in normally Republican districts. Too bad, came the rejoinder from their opponents. Moral victory or not, narrow losses don’t get you political power. While not wrong, it’s the […] Read more »
Why the Louisiana Governor’s Race Is So Close
The crucial cultural dividing line in Louisiana has always been north-south. Those who live in north Louisiana are mostly Protestant, speak with a familiar Southern twang and, in the modern era, voted heavily Republican. But rural South Louisiana is more Catholic, the accent is like nothing else (as anyone knows […] Read more »
Americans Have Positive Views About Religion’s Role in Society, but Want It Out of Politics
A large majority of Americans feel that religion is losing influence in public life, according to a 2019 Pew Research Center survey. While some say this is a good thing, many more view it as a negative development, reflecting the broad tendency of Americans to see religion as a positive […] Read more »