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The 2003 Louisiana Gubernatorial Election, a close Contest between Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Blanco and Represenative Bobby Jindal resulted in Blanco winning the Governorship of Louisiana by a close fought 3.9%
Joining a large field that included multiple heavy hitters such as Attorney General Richard Ieyoub, former Congressman Buddy Leach, Senate President Randy Ewing, and Congressman Bobby Jindal as the only candidate from French Acadiana, Blanco made her way into the runoff by just under 2%
Despite her eventual win, insiders dismissed her as lacking in key political suport and as a too nice to win lightweight—however, her desire to move beyond "the tired old politics of Louisiana” and suport for Health Care and Education Reforms eventually won her a spot in the General Campaign
In the General Election, Blanco critiziced Jindal's inexperence, promising to work with Senator John Breaux to adress Healthcare and Promissed not to Raise taxes unless education and health care spending was in deep trouble
Jindal by Contrast enphasized his connection to George Bush—with Blanco hitting back by saying that NAFTA would lead to a volatile sugar market.
What likely clinched the election for Blanco was in the final debate when she was asked to name the defining moment in her life and she gave an emotional response that hightlighted the death of her son—at 19—in a 1997 industrial workplace accident.
The end result was Blanco winning 3.9% over Jindal, landsliding the entire state except in the Ruby Red suburbs such as that in Jefferson Parish, East Baton Rouge Caddo Parish and especially St. Tammany Parish
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