Parish voters go against winners Landrieu, Obama

St. Tammany Parish voters braved long lines and lit up electric ballot booths in record numbers Tuesday, voting against the majority and overwhelmingly opposing U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu’s re-election bid while backing presidential candidate John McCain.

Local voters, however, mirrored other voters in other parishes in supporting winners U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Metairie, newcomer Eric Skrmetta for Public Service Commissioner in District 1 and Judge Greg Guidry for Supreme Court Associate Justice.

Final numbers weren’t available until about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, two hours after all 158 precincts in the parish reported tallies.

The reason: Clerk of Court Malise Prieto and about 20 top aids were sequestered and counting 18,404 early votes, a record number. By the night’s end, the buzz of dozens of election workers tapered off to the slow drone of a few weary-eyed employees.

In the end, Scalise easily defeated Democratic opponent Jim Harlan, 189,034 to 98,754 district wide. In St. Tammany he earned 68 percent of the vote, or 70,524 ballots, compared to Harlan’s 32 percent, or 33,312 votes, according to Louisiana Secretary of State’s unofficial results.

Scalise, who won a special election earlier this year to replace Gov. Bobby Jindal in Washington, said he’ll continue to fight for coastal restoration, a comprehensive national energy policy, reign in out of control spending in Washington and “as we continue working to fix our struggling economy, the last thing we need to do in an economic downturn is to raise taxes.”

“With all our challenges, America is still the greatest country in the history of the world. We can tackle these challenges if we work together and address them head on,” Scalise said. “The fact that we received a strong majority in each of the six parishes of the 1st Congressional District shows that our message of restoring conservative values to Congress is a philosophy that crosses party and geographic lines.”

In the statewide Senate race, incumbent Landrieu was re-elected 986,411 to 866,624. But St. Tammany voters overwhelmingly chose her opponent, Republican State Treasurer John Kennedy, a Mandeville resident, to replace the two-term senator.

In fact, Kennedy’s votes almost doubled Landrieu’s, 65,127 to 39,416, in a race with three other opponents who combined, barely made up 2 percent of the vote.

“The pundits and the Washington partisans underestimated us again,” Landrieu said in a victory letter. “They doubted our fight. They doubted our tenacity. They doubted our ability to win. Worse, they doubted you. But they got it wrong.”

“Together, we showed the world that Louisiana is a state that puts progress before partisanship, results before rhetoric and solutions before sound bites,” she said.

Landrieu said she’ll focus on passing a comprehensive energy plan, affordable health care and funding for schools and teachers.

For the nation’s highest seat, national poll favorite and President-elect Barack Obama, a Democrat, didn’t gather much steam in St. Tammany, where voters favored Sen. John McCain, 83,047 to 24,589. Statewide, McCain emerged with 59 percent of the vote, or 1,147,603 ballots, to Obama’s 40 percent, or 780,981.

Regardless of whom you voted for Tuesday, record numbers of residents went to the polls to cast their ballots.

“This is a great celebration of our democracy,” Parish President Kevin Davis said.

“It is incumbent upon us now to all come together to support our new president. Our strength is within us, the American people, who believe in each other and in the greatness of our nation.”

In the PSC race, Skrmetta, a Republican, drew 67.9 percent of St. Tammany Parish votes, or 67,508 ballots, while John Schwegmann, an independent, earned 32 percent, or 31,883 local ballots. District wide, Skrmetta clinched the seat with 60 percent of the vote (222,268 to 149,220) to replace longtime commissioner Jay Blossman, who retired.

As a Public Service commissioner, Skrmetta will be in charge of regulating utilities and other traceable goods. He will represent St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Washington. St. Helena, Plaquemines. St. Bernard and parts of Livingston and Jefferson parishes.

Skrmetta, a former commissioner with Greater New Orleans Expressway Commission and a member of the staff of former Gov. Dave Treen, said his maritime law degree provides unique insight to the post that also regulates transportation industry among other business sectors.

“I assure you that I am energetic, driven and ready to give this position 110 percent,” he said.

Guidry’s district win also mirrors St. Tammany’s preference, where 58,998 ballots were cast, or 60.5 percent, compared to 38,593, or 39.5 percent for candidate Judge James “Jimmy” Kuhn.

With all 515 precincts reporting, Guidry, a judge on the state 5th Circuit Court of Appeal, earned 160,893 votes, or 60 percent of the unofficial total. Kuhn, a judge on the 1st Circuit Court of Appeal, had 108,541, or 40 percent.

Both were Republicans seeking to fill the 1st District seat of retiring Chief Justice Pascal Calogero, a New Orleans Democrat.

The 1st Supreme Court District includes all of St. Helena, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Washington parishes as well as parts of Orleans and Jefferson parishes. Calogero is scheduled to retire Dec. 31.