Exclusive: NRCC Memo Reveals GOP Plan to Hit Candidates Who’ve Endorsed Obama [Update]

Louisiana congressional candidate Don Cazayoux squeaked through because he is a conservative, pro-life candidate, but he experienced a precipitous drop in polling after the Obama negative ads ran, and won the race narrowly.

No Quarter has obtained a memorandum from the NRCC Communications Division on its strategy:

TO:	Interested Parties
FROM:	NRCC Communications Division
SUBJECT:	NRCC Memo: LA-06 Special Election Results
DATE:	May 3, 2008

________________________________

There is something to be learned from tonight’s results. When Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi were introduced into this campaign, Don Cazayoux was leading by a large margin in the polls. Since then, Republicans saturated the Baton Rouge airwaves in an effort to nationalize this contest and make the election about the real life consequences of a Barack Obama presidency and a continued Pelosi-run Democratic Congress. In that time, Republicans made substantial ground.

This election speaks to the potential toxicity of an Obama candidacy and the possible drag he could have down-ballot this fall.

We have already seen this impact another congressional race as a Democratic candidate for Congress in Mississippi is denying that he was ever endorsed by Barack Obama. In fact, he has referenced any mention of it by Republicans as an “attack.”  And, across the country, Democrats in swing districts still refuse to publicly endorse the candidacy of Barack Obama.

By nature, special elections tend to be competitive and their results are not always a harbinger for the November elections, but what we do know is that a Democrat was clearly favored to easily win this election before Republicans invoked the names of Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi. This should come as a warning shot to Democrats. The elitist behavior of the Democratic frontrunner and the liberal and extremist positions that he and his fellow Democrats in Congress have staked their claim to, do not appear to be as salient as they once hoped.

Election Results Roundup

The following are the unofficial results from Saturday’s special elections in Louisiana.

These results are UNOFFICIAL AND INCOMPLETE until certified by the Louisiana Secretary of State:

DISTRICT/NAME	RAW VOTE	PERCENTAGE
District 1:
Steve Scalise (R)	33,867	75.13% (DECLARED WINNER)
Gilda Reed (D)	10,142	22.5%
Precincts Reporting: 505 of 505
District 6:
Louis “Woody” Jenkins (R)	46,741	46.27%
Don Cazayoux (D)	49,702	49.2% (DECLARED WINNER)
Precincts Reporting: 512 of 512

Emphases added.

UPDATE: SEE V’s story, “Obamatross,” published here at No Quarter on May 2, 2008. The first paragraph:

Even if the people smoking hopium won’t see or admit it, the GOP has figured out who they want to run against. The AP reports that Obama is being linked to local candidates to drag them down and stomp on them and boost their candidates. Here is an example of an ad using Obama and his 20-yr spiritual mentor, Rev. Wright to bash Democrat Travis Childers: …