Would Edwin Edwards Have Beaten David Duke in 2021?

When I learned that former Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards had passed away this morning at the age of 93 the first thing I thought of was his triumph over former Klansmen and forever white supremacist David Duke in the 1991 gubernatorial race. Despite Edwards' checkered past and even more checkered future, he was infinitely preferable to a hate monger. Vote for the Crook...It's Important!!!

The second thing I thought about is that we are nearing the 30th anniversary of that race and what would happen had Edwards and Duke faced off in 2021? Let's keep in mind that while Bill Clinton won Louisiana in both 1992 and 1996, it has gone GOP ever since with Donald Trump winning the state by nearly 20 points over both Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden. Mind you, this is the same Trump who could not bring himself to condemn Duke much less white supremacy during the 2016 election. A far cry from President George H.W. Bush who was unequivocal and unambivalent in his condemnation of Duke and white supremacy denouncing him as both a racist and a charlatan. Indeed, Trump failed to condemn white supremacy in Charlottesville in 2017 and said the Proud Boys should "stand back and stand by" during his debate with Joe Biden last year. So we can hardly be surprised when a Republican Congressman like Paul Gosar has no qualms about speaking at a white supremacist gathering and is in far better standing with his party than Liz Cheney. 

In 1991, Edwards said Duke would give us "20 years of hate and hurt." He might have not done so as Governor of Louisiana, but Duke's influence is far greater now than it ever was 30 years ago. So the hate and hurt are still to come.

So how would Edwards have faired against Duke in 2021? I suspect that the African-American vote would have been mobilized, some Republicans would have stayed home and Edwards would probably prevailed. But it would not be by a 61-38 margin. More like a 51-48 margin. And instead of accepting defeat graciously, Republicans would cry voter fraud with African-American voters in mind. 

It is sad to think that we have lost ground in this country over the past 30 years when it comes to fighting racism, anti-Semitism and hatred at large. It also means we are in grave danger and the worst is yet to come. Sigh. R.I.P.