Barack Obama Wins Louisiana Primary

Monroe, Louisiana -- Barack Obama can now add Louisiana to the growing list of states in his column. He defeated Hillary Clinton 56% to 37% in a primary that for the first time in many years played a pivotal role in the Presidential primary.

I cast my vote around 1 pm at my small rural precinct. They had already surpassed what is typically considered a great turnout of 100 voters. It seemed that once again, voters were going to turn out in huge numbers to vote in this historic race.

Barack Obama campaigned in New Orleans on Thursday. Former President Clinton made a sweep of the state on Friday, making stops in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles and Monroe.

I attended the rally held in Monroe on Friday night, where upwards of 500 people were in attendance. There were a few undecided voters, but by and large the crowd was pro-Hillary.

Former President Clinton talked economy, the biggest concern for Louisiana Democrats, telling voters "If you elect her, you will experience more job growth than there was during my eight years." In a city that over the last two years has lost a huge portion of its high-paying jobs, this was music to the crowd's ears.

Straw polls throughout this primary season have shown Senator Clinton leading in Louisiana, averaging around 10 percentage points more than Obama. So what happened on Saturday? Why didn't Monroe voters favor Clinton over Obama? Because not only was there was a huge age range of voters missing at this rally, those between the ages of 25 - 49, but the demographic of the crowd was largely white. It seems that in Louisiana, it all comes down to race.

Black voters make up about 50% of registered Democrats in the state. More than 80% of those blacks voted for Obama. Similarly, around 70% of whites voted for Clinton. Reports out of New Orleans indicated very low voter turnout, but those who did vote in areas like the 9^th ward, affected so heavily by Hurricane Katrina, voted on average 5 to 1 for Obama.

Voter turnout in Monroe was significantly higher, due in part to a mayoral race. Monroe's mayor, who was re-elected, endorsed Senator Obama. Throughout the parish, the vote was split 58% for Obama, 34% for Clinton. These figures coincide with a population in the city that is 62% black.

Throughout the state, parish by parish, voters cast ballots based on race. In Bossier Parish, where the majority of the population is white, Hillary came out on top. Next door in Caddo Parish, where the population is predominantly black, Obama won.

Louisiana's primary serves to debunk a few myths about the makeup of Hillary and Obama supporters. This race was not about money. Clinton received more in financial contributions in every major city other than Monroe and Shreveport. This race was not about education. In Monroe, the large majority of voters have not finished college. It seems whether the Democratic Party wants to admit it or not, support for their two candidates is based largely upon the color of their skin.