Congressman William Jefferson of LA-2 won a near landslide victory over his runoff opponent state Rep.Karen Carter on Saturday. He carried Jefferson Parish with 71% of the vote and won significant pluralities in the African-American precincts in Orleans Parish.
The New Orleans Times-Picayune attributed Jefferson’s victory
to a well organized grassroots campaign. Ironically it was Carter who had attracted substantial support from netroots online activists in her well financed campaign that included a number of high profile endorsements. Carter outspent Jefferson 5 to 1 but the incumbent congressman had the support of some powerful political leaders including Mayor Ray Nagin and Jefferson Parish Sheriff Harry Lee and ran a grassroots campaign that took him to churches and bars throughout the district.