# 2008 United States presidential election in Louisiana

"none" is preferred when the title is already sufficiently detailed; see [[WP:SDNONE]]
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The 2008 United States presidential election in Louisiana took place on November 4, 2008, was part of the 2008 United States presidential election. Voters chose nine representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.
Louisiana was won by Republican nominee John McCain by an 18.6% margin of victory. Prior to the election, all leading news organizations considered this a state McCain would win, or otherwise a "red state". Although Bill Clinton carried the state twice, it has since shifted strongly toward the Republican Party. This is despite its having one of the largest percentages of African Americans in the country, one of the Democratic Party's most reliable voting blocs and which gave record-breaking support to Obama, the first African American on a major-party presidential ticket. Its shift to the right has been due almost entirely to its white population, which has become overwhelmingly Republican in the 21st century. It was one of five states to swing Republican from 2004, along with West Virginia, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. This marked the first time that Louisiana failed to back the winning candidate since 1968, when it voted for a third-party candidate George Wallace. In doing so, Obama became the first winning Democratic presidential nominee to lose Louisiana since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. He was the first Democrat to ever win without Calcasieu Parish since the parish's founding in 1840.
In this election, Louisiana voted 25.9% to the right of the nation at-large, or a 13.85 percent bigger differential than in 2004.

## Primaries

* 2008 Louisiana Democratic presidential primary
* 2008 Louisiana Republican presidential caucuses and primary

## Campaign
### Predictions

There were 16 news organizations who made state-by-state predictions of the election. Here are their last predictions before election day:
| Source | Ranking |
| D.C. Political Report | Likely R |
| Cook Political Report | Solid R |
| The Takeaway | Solid R |
| Electoral-vote.com | Solid R |
| Washington Post | Solid R |
| Politico | Solid R |
| RealClearPolitics | Solid R |
| FiveThirtyEight | Solid R |
| CQ Politics | Solid R |
| The New York Times | Solid R |
| CNN | Safe R |
| NPR | Solid R |
| MSNBC | Solid R |
| Fox News | Likely R |
| Associated Press | Likely R |
| Rasmussen Reports | Safe R |

### Polling

McCain won every pre-election poll. The final 3 polls averaged McCain leading 50% to 40%.

### Fundraising

John McCain raised a total of $2,175,416 in the state. Barack Obama raised $1,438,276.

### Advertising and visits

Obama spent $368,039. McCain and his interest groups spent $6,019. McCain visited the state once, in New Orleans.

## Analysis

Polling in Louisiana gave a strong lead to McCain, sometimes as high as 19%, and Barack Obama did not seriously contest the state. Governor Bobby Jindal endorsed McCain early on in the primary season. Louisiana was also one of only two states to list Ron Paul on their official ballot (the other being Montana which gave the largest percentage to any third-party candidate nationwide). This was the last time any parish flipped in the state in a presidential election until 2024.
At the same time, however, incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu avoided the Republican trend in the state and held onto her U.S. Senate seat, taking in 52.11% of the vote to State Treasurer John N. Kennedy, a Democrat who switched parties to run against Landrieu. Republicans picked up two U.S. House seats in Louisiana (LA-02 and LA-06 with Joseph Cao and Bill Cassidy, respectively). In a terrible year for the Republican Party nationwide, Louisiana provided the GOP with a ray of hope and optimism.

## Results

2008 United States presidential election in Louisiana :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Running mate | Votes | Percentage | Electoral votes |
| | Republican | John McCain | Sarah Palin | 1,148,275 | 58.56% | 9 |
| | Democratic | Barack Obama | Joe Biden | 782,989 | 39.93% | 0 |
| | Louisiana Taxpayers | Ron Paul (no campaign) | Barry Goldwater Jr. | 9,368 | 0.48% | 0 |
| | Green | Cynthia McKinney | Rosa Clemente | 9,187 | 0.47% | 0 |
| | Independent | Ralph Nader | Matt Gonzalez | 6,997 | 0.36% | 0 |
| | Constitution | Chuck Baldwin | Darrell Castle | 2,581 | 0.13% | 0 |
| | Socialist Workers | James Harris | Alyson Kennedy | 735 | 0.04% | 0 |
| | Socialism and Liberation | Gloria La Riva | Eugene Puryear | 354 | 0.02% | 0 |
| | Prohibition | Gene Amondson | Leroy Pletten | 275 | 0.01% | 0 |
| Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | 1,960,761 | 100.00% | 9 |
| Voter turnout (Voting age population) | Voter turnout (Voting age population) | Voter turnout (Voting age population) | Voter turnout (Voting age population) | Voter turnout (Voting age population) | Voter turnout (Voting age population) | 62.0% |

### By parish

| Parish | John McCain Republican | John McCain Republican | Barack Obama Democratic | Barack Obama Democratic | Various candidates Other parties | Various candidates Other parties | Margin | Margin | Total |
| Parish | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | Total |
| Acadia | 19,229 | 71.99% | 7,028 | 26.31% | 454 | 1.70% | 12,201 | 45.68% | 26,711 |
| Allen | 6,333 | 66.90% | 2,891 | 30.54% | 243 | 2.57% | 3,442 | 36.36% | 9,467 |
| Ascension | 31,239 | 67.08% | 14,625 | 31.40% | 707 | 1.52% | 16,614 | 35.68% | 46,571 |
| Assumption | 5,981 | 54.57% | 4,756 | 43.39% | 223 | 2.03% | 1,225 | 11.18% | 10,960 |
| Avoyelles | 10,236 | 60.43% | 6,327 | 37.35% | 375 | 2.21% | 3,909 | 23.08% | 16,938 |
| Beauregard | 10,718 | 76.15% | 3,071 | 21.82% | 285 | 2.03% | 7,647 | 54.33% | 14,074 |
| Bienville | 3,776 | 50.82% | 3,589 | 48.30% | 65 | 0.87% | 187 | 2.52% | 7,430 |
| Bossier | 32,713 | 71.37% | 12,703 | 27.71% | 419 | 0.91% | 20,010 | 43.66% | 45,835 |
| Caddo | 52,228 | 48.07% | 55,536 | 51.11% | 896 | 0.82% | -3,308 | -3.04% | 108,660 |
| Calcasieu | 50,449 | 61.43% | 30,244 | 36.82% | 1,438 | 1.75% | 20,205 | 24.61% | 82,131 |
| Caldwell | 3,696 | 75.54% | 1,118 | 22.85% | 79 | 1.61% | 2,578 | 52.69% | 4,893 |
| Cameron | 3,089 | 81.44% | 613 | 16.16% | 91 | 2.40% | 2,476 | 65.28% | 3,793 |
| Catahoula | 3,486 | 66.72% | 1,659 | 31.75% | 80 | 1.53% | 1,827 | 34.97% | 5,225 |
| Claiborne | 3,750 | 54.82% | 3,025 | 44.22% | 66 | 0.96% | 725 | 10.60% | 6,841 |
| Concordia | 5,668 | 59.49% | 3,766 | 39.53% | 93 | 0.98% | 1,902 | 19.96% | 9,527 |
| DeSoto | 6,883 | 56.16% | 5,242 | 42.77% | 132 | 1.08% | 1,641 | 13.39% | 12,257 |
| East Baton Rouge | 95,390 | 48.34% | 99,652 | 50.50% | 2,307 | 1.17% | -4,262 | -2.16% | 197,349 |
| East Carroll | 1,254 | 35.23% | 2,267 | 63.70% | 38 | 1.07% | -1,013 | -28.47% | 3,559 |
| East Feliciana | 5,432 | 54.61% | 4,383 | 44.06% | 132 | 1.33% | 1,049 | 10.55% | 9,947 |
| Evangeline | 9,793 | 61.30% | 5,853 | 36.64% | 330 | 2.07% | 3,940 | 24.66% | 15,976 |
| Franklin | 6,278 | 67.09% | 2,961 | 31.64% | 119 | 1.27% | 3,317 | 35.45% | 9,358 |
| Grant | 6,907 | 80.71% | 1,474 | 17.22% | 177 | 2.07% | 5,433 | 63.49% | 8,558 |
| Iberia | 20,127 | 60.68% | 12,492 | 37.66% | 549 | 1.66% | 7,635 | 23.02% | 33,168 |
| Iberville | 7,185 | 43.75% | 9,023 | 54.95% | 213 | 1.30% | -1,838 | -11.20% | 16,421 |
| Jackson | 5,190 | 67.09% | 2,456 | 31.75% | 90 | 1.16% | 2,734 | 35.34% | 7,736 |
| Jefferson | 113,191 | 62.50% | 65,096 | 35.94% | 2,833 | 1.56% | 48,095 | 26.56% | 181,120 |
| Jefferson Davis | 9,278 | 68.72% | 3,923 | 29.06% | 300 | 2.22% | 5,355 | 39.66% | 13,501 |
| Lafayette | 62,055 | 64.88% | 32,145 | 33.61% | 1,442 | 1.51% | 29,910 | 31.27% | 95,642 |
| Lafourche | 27,089 | 71.49% | 9,662 | 25.50% | 1,142 | 3.01% | 17,427 | 45.99% | 37,893 |
| LaSalle | 5,602 | 85.49% | 860 | 13.12% | 91 | 1.39% | 4,742 | 72.37% | 6,553 |
| Lincoln | 10,680 | 55.69% | 8,292 | 43.23% | 207 | 1.08% | 2,388 | 12.46% | 19,179 |
| Livingston | 43,269 | 85.02% | 6,681 | 13.13% | 942 | 1.85% | 36,588 | 71.89% | 50,892 |
| Madison | 2,152 | 40.60% | 3,100 | 58.49% | 48 | 0.91% | -948 | -17.89% | 5,300 |
| Morehouse | 7,258 | 54.98% | 5,792 | 43.88% | 150 | 1.14% | 1,466 | 11.10% | 13,200 |
| Natchitoches | 9,054 | 53.05% | 7,801 | 45.71% | 212 | 1.24% | 1,253 | 7.34% | 17,067 |
| Orleans | 28,130 | 19.08% | 117,102 | 79.42% | 2,207 | 1.50% | -88,972 | -60.34% | 147,439 |
| Ouachita | 41,741 | 62.07% | 24,813 | 36.90% | 690 | 1.03% | 16,928 | 25.17% | 67,244 |
| Plaquemines | 6,894 | 65.98% | 3,380 | 32.35% | 175 | 1.67% | 3,514 | 33.63% | 10,449 |
| Pointe Coupee | 6,702 | 53.90% | 5,516 | 44.36% | 217 | 1.75% | 1,186 | 9.54% | 12,435 |
| Rapides | 36,611 | 63.65% | 20,127 | 34.99% | 783 | 1.36% | 16,484 | 28.66% | 57,521 |
| Red River | 2,484 | 53.66% | 2,080 | 44.93% | 65 | 1.40% | 404 | 8.73% | 4,629 |
| Richland | 5,751 | 62.64% | 3,311 | 36.06% | 119 | 1.30% | 2,440 | 26.58% | 9,181 |
| Sabine | 7,226 | 74.87% | 2,245 | 23.26% | 181 | 1.88% | 4,981 | 51.61% | 9,652 |
| St. Bernard | 9,643 | 71.21% | 3,491 | 25.78% | 407 | 3.01% | 6,152 | 45.43% | 13,541 |
| St. Charles | 16,457 | 64.80% | 8,522 | 33.56% | 418 | 1.65% | 7,935 | 31.24% | 25,397 |
| St. Helena | 2,522 | 40.78% | 3,567 | 57.68% | 95 | 1.54% | -1,045 | -16.90% | 6,184 |
| St. James | 5,432 | 43.23% | 6,994 | 55.67% | 138 | 1.10% | -1,562 | -12.44% | 12,564 |
| St. John the Baptist | 8,912 | 41.15% | 12,424 | 57.37% | 320 | 1.48% | -3,512 | -16.22% | 21,656 |
| St. Landry | 21,650 | 50.95% | 20,268 | 47.70% | 575 | 1.35% | 1,382 | 3.25% | 42,493 |
| St. Martin | 14,443 | 59.55% | 9,419 | 38.84% | 390 | 1.61% | 5,024 | 20.71% | 24,252 |
| St. Mary | 13,183 | 57.56% | 9,345 | 40.80% | 375 | 1.64% | 3,838 | 16.76% | 22,903 |
| St. Tammany | 83,078 | 75.84% | 24,596 | 22.45% | 1,868 | 1.71% | 58,482 | 53.39% | 109,542 |
| Tangipahoa | 31,434 | 64.68% | 16,438 | 33.82% | 730 | 1.50% | 14,996 | 30.86% | 48,602 |
| Tensas | 1,367 | 44.97% | 1,646 | 54.14% | 27 | 0.89% | -279 | -9.17% | 3,040 |
| Terrebonne | 28,210 | 69.32% | 11,581 | 28.46% | 905 | 2.22% | 16,629 | 40.86% | 40,696 |
| Union | 7,619 | 70.10% | 3,103 | 28.55% | 146 | 1.34% | 4,516 | 41.55% | 10,868 |
| Vermilion | 18,069 | 72.76% | 6,266 | 25.23% | 498 | 2.01% | 11,803 | 47.53% | 24,833 |
| Vernon | 11,946 | 75.76% | 3,534 | 22.41% | 289 | 1.83% | 8,412 | 53.35% | 15,769 |
| Washington | 12,215 | 65.59% | 6,122 | 32.87% | 287 | 1.54% | 6,093 | 32.72% | 18,624 |
| Webster | 11,417 | 62.49% | 6,610 | 36.18% | 243 | 1.33% | 4,807 | 26.31% | 18,270 |
| West Baton Rouge | 6,654 | 56.08% | 5,043 | 42.50% | 169 | 1.42% | 1,611 | 13.58% | 11,866 |
| West Carroll | 4,045 | 81.11% | 878 | 17.61% | 64 | 1.28% | 3,167 | 63.50% | 4,987 |
| West Feliciana | 3,150 | 56.05% | 2,415 | 42.97% | 55 | 0.98% | 735 | 13.08% | 5,620 |
| Winn | 4,632 | 68.40% | 2,047 | 30.23% | 93 | 1.37% | 2,585 | 38.17% | 6,772 |
| Totals | 1,148,275 | 58.56% | 782,989 | 39.93% | 29,497 | 1.51% | 365,286 | 18.63% | 1,960,761 |

#### Parishes that flipped from Republican to Democratic

* Caddo (largest city: Shreveport)
* East Baton Rouge (largest city: Baton Rouge)

#### Parishes that flipped from Democratic to Republican

* Assumption (largest city: Napoleonville)
* Pointe Coupee (largest city: New Roads)

### By congressional district

John McCain carried 6 of the state's 7 congressional districts, both McCain and Obama won a district won by the other party.
| District | McCain | Obama | Representative |
| 1st | 72.72% | 25.68% | Bobby Jindal (110th Congress) |
| 1st | 72.72% | 25.68% | Steve Scalise (111th Congress) |
| 2nd | 24.86% | 74.13% | William J. Jefferson (110th Congress) |
| 2nd | 24.86% | 74.13% | Joseph Cao (111th Congress) |
| 3rd | 60.99% | 37.03% | Charles Melancon |
| 4th | 59.28% | 39.57% | Jim McCrery (110th Congress) |
| 4th | 59.28% | 39.57% | John C. Fleming (111th Congress) |
| 5th | 61.75% | 36.96% | Rodney Alexander |
| 6th | 57.40% | 41.26% | Don Cazayoux (110th Congress) |
| 6th | 57.40% | 41.26% | Bill Cassidy (111th Congress) |
| 7th | 63.14% | 35.20% | Charles Boustany |

## Electors

Technically the voters of Louisiana cast their ballots for electors: representatives to the Electoral College. Louisiana is allocated 9 electors because it has 7 congressional districts and 2 senators. All candidates who appear on the ballot or qualify to receive write-in votes must submit a list of 9 electors, who pledge to vote for their candidate and his or her running mate. Whoever wins the majority of votes in the state is awarded all 9 electoral votes. Their chosen electors then vote for president and vice president. Although electors are pledged to their candidate and running mate, they are not obligated to vote for them. An elector who votes for someone other than his or her candidate is known as a faithless elector.
The electors of each state and the District of Columbia met on December 15, 2008, to cast their votes for president and vice president. The Electoral College itself never meets as one body. Instead the electors from each state and the District of Columbia met in their respective capitols.
The following were the members of the Electoral College from the state. All 9 were pledged to John McCain and Sarah Palin:
* Lynn Skidmore
* Joe Lavigne
* Gordon Giles - He replaced Billy Nungesser, who was absent due to illness.
* Alan Seabaugh
* Karen Haymon
* Charles Davis
* Charlie Buckels
* Dianne Christopher
* Roger F. Villere Jr.