Part Three of Three: What the Roy/Brewer Run-Off Teaches Us About Alexandria
In today’s Town Talk, Jodie Belgard writes about how Jacques Roy inspired her to feel more engaged in the political process and how he reached out and included young people who would otherwise never be involved in a political race. Jodie witnessed something at the Roy victory party she was surprised to see: throngs of young people all celebrating a new spirit of leadership.
But, as I have mentioned before, Roy ran on a platform of true inclusiveness, and for him, it meant more than just rallying young people; it meant traveling all across the city and getting everyone motivated for a change.
One prominent supporter of the Brewer campaign wrote an article of endorsement in a citywide Brewer mail-out (which was distributed in gas stations and grocery stores) about the need for getting out the vote in his neighborhood, Charles Park. When I read the article, I must admit: I was disappointed. The mayor’s race wasn’t simply about ONE neighborhood, and it seemed to me at least that any attempt to specifically target a neighborhood like Charles Park– while ignoring other parts of the city– was a strategy designed to embolden one group of people in one neighborhood to determine our city’s leadership. This is not to suggest that Mrs. Brewer didn’t attend events in South Alexandria. She did. And I have personally heard her speak about the need for infrastructure improvements throughout our community. But during the last few weeks of the campaign, it became evident that her campaign hoped to drastically increase voter turn-out in specific parts of the city– and I think we all know what areas those are and why it was perceived as politically advantageous for Mrs. Brewer to embark on this strategy.
However, this election taught us that in order to win an election in Alexandria, one must be willing to motivate citizens throughout the entire community. That means canvassing in the Sonia Quarters, Acadian Village, Martin Park, and Charles Park. It’s more than just attending social events; one must be willing to literally walk door-to-door and ask people for their vote.
For me, one of the biggest surprises of the mayoral election wasn’t the margin of victory; it was the immense turn-out in precincts that have historically voted in lower numbers. Mr. Roy could have won 60/40 if he had only focused on traditionally white neighborhoods, but that was not the mission of his campaign.
Inclusiveness means bringing everyone to the table; it means paying attention to the needs and hopes of people from all walks of life. And as we look forward to the next four years, we must remember that Jacques Roy wasn’t elected by just one group of people from one or two neighborhoods; he was elected by the entire community.
CenLamar 
I must admit Lamar that this election did teach me one thing. (It is easy to play monday morning quarterback and that is what I shall do.) First off, Jacques went negative first. It is a fact. He called my mom a liar and created half-truths about my family by way of drop-mail. I was even pulled into it. Second, the town talk is truly a toilet rag. Everyone knows the form media bias that they represent. (As a journalist you should be disgusted). Not to be presumptuous but didn’t everyone refer to it as the “clown talk?” Usually when a newspaper endorses someone they endorse many. Not the TT. The headline “Roy Roasts Brewer” shows their lack of class. Third, when my mom went negative it was essentially a hail mary to gain traction. That is exactly what Jacques did in the primary. Why were we wrong in doing so? He did. He called her a skunk. Fourth, my mom never stooped as low as Jacques as when he called her a racist. He xeroxed fliers that said “Delores Brewer, Rodney Alexander, and David Duke are all the same… Vote Democrat.” I know that you Jacques supporters will say he is calling her a Republican but he could’ve done that without David Dukes name. Oh yeah, he distributed these fliers at black churches to enrage them into voting.
My mom received some hate mail today. I will type it out for you:
“So Lolita, how does it feel to be one more filthy Republican who has been hurled into the Dumpster of History by the righteous might of the hoi polloi? Hooray and Hallelujah. You had it coming to ya. Goody! Goody! -The Vox Populi
For the laymen out there, hoi polloi is Greek for “the unwashed masses.” I believe that it is from the french revolution. This to me means that some kid thinks he (the people) is deprived and that the Republicans are responsible. The Vox Populi is Latin for the voice of the people. I guess this child has access to the internet and looked up some Greek and Latin dictionaries so that he could sound smart.
My mother really did want to run a clean campaign. The proof is in the pudding. Jacques hit first so she hit back. Is that so bad? Something that I learned about this election is that sexism is still very much alive in America today. What do I mean? In politix when a women does not respond to a negative campaign she is a wimp but if she does then she is a bitch. That is a double standard. In some way it reminds to how a man can sleep with as many women as he likes but when a women does it she is a whore.
Another thing I learned from this election is probably the most important one. When I was out in the black community I engaged a number of black democrats. They said that they have always been democrat because democratic politicians take up for the poor. I asked this lady if she was still poor and she could not respond. Then these black communities re-elect the same politicians. That brings me to my next point. It is no coincidence that Louisiana has some of the worst education in the nation as well as even worse politics. When you keep hoi polloi uneducated then their is no majority to rival your power. It reminds me of 1917. The Bolshevik revolution. Stalin had all of the intellects murder. They were a threat to him and his machine.
As the days go by it all begins to make sense. This was no election. It was a popularity contest between two white clubs. In a lot of ways it was like voting for prom king and queen. It is obvious that qualifications and experience are minor compared to taste in music and modern pop culture. Some of you are thinking “where is he going with this?” What I mean is that I asked several Jacques fans why they liked him and one person replied that they had the same taste in music. There are so many of these situations that it hurts me to think that young people could be oblivious to the important issues.
Finally, and probably most important is that Jacques said he did not represent the old regime yet I see my former god-father (Ned) up there kissing on him. I almost threw-up. One person said to me, “I voted for Jacques because I thought he was something new but when I saw Ned up there with him I began to wonder.” What a great observation. I wish I could have pinpointed such treachery earlier in the campaign. “Et tu, Brute?” comes to mind for our young hate mailing fanatix. Go look it up on Wikipedia. I wonder if we ever had a chance with “friends” like Ned and Deborah? They were always on our inner circle of trust. Lamar, you remember when I told you that we had a mole etc… You said that I was being paranoid.
Jacques Roy said he is the choice for change. He looks like another white male democrat to me. In all actuality my mom, Delores, was the true choice for change, a women Republican. She is a hero to me. She fought all the way to the end even though the #’s looked dismal. She is a trailblazer. There has never been a women republican to run in this town. How about a little respect?
Oh yeah, after the results came in a black Range Rover drove by our headquarters honking and calling us losers. There are not many black Range Rovers with a Roy sticker on the back. Real classy!!!
Brewer was rude and very offensive in her TV ads. I am a woman, an attorney and a democrat. Your mother could have won. I voted for her in the first election, but she went too far. She ignored the intelligent voters and thought we would respond to hate. She was wrong. She ignored smart growth and reality. She ignored the issues. She let men like Roy Flecther direct her campaign and that was a fatal mistake. Where was the strong woman in that decision? She showed her true weakness deserved to come in last. Your anger should be not be at us, Alexandria, but with your mother.
I really like your mother but was disappointed that she had the bad judgement to take some REALLY awful campaign advice. Remaining cool under fire is mandatory for a good leader and I don’t think she did that. Running a city can be as filled with adversity as a political campaign and cool heads and logical thinking must prevail. She is lucky to have such a loyal and devoted son who is so proud of her.
76 % – 24 %
Morgan —
Jacques won because he focused on the issues that are important to the people in this community while your mother was grasping at straws to find something to hurt him with. When she couldn’t find anything horrible in his past she pulled something horrible and personal from her own past and brought it to light in an attempt to garner sympathy votes or somehow paint Jacques in a bad light by comparing him to a rapist. Just what kind of reaction did you guys expect from that? That’s something very personal that should have remained personal. Bet she feels stupid now that she put it out there and it didn’t win it for her. I know, I know…that’s not what she was doing with that commercial, she was trying to show how tough it was to run this race as a woman. How much courage it takes to stand up to the man that attacked her in her home as well as the man who was going around telling people the truth about her. What a couple of assholes! Whatever…Nobody believed that for a second.
As for Ned, we (the community) saw that coming from a distance. You can’t go around claiming all this experience with the current administration while saying that you know how the Mayor’s office is “supposed” to work, and how you didnt’ agree with all the “illegal” contracts that were signed (with your mom’s name). Did you guys really expect Ned to stand shoulder to shoulder at the press conference while your mom questioned his decisions and cast doubt upon the competency of his administration. Come on!
it also sounds like you’re a little upset that the black democrats voted for Jacques. That isn’t that big of a deal. I can assure you that isn’t what lost the election for your mother… It was all the white republicans who voted for Jacques. I know because I am one of many.
Her biggest mistake in this election was hiring Fletcher and letting him take the reigns. People knew it and lost respect for your mom because she allowed it to happen. They knew it wasn’t her running the campaign, but many probably wondered if she questioned any of his decisions. I agree with you about the Hail Mary. The problem was that by the time it landed, everyone had already switched teams.
eloquently put lamar, loved the article.
mp199
ps.. wow!
What about the Town Talk? Is it possible that someone will defend their unscrupulous media bias? Will anyone address Jacques attacking my family for a leg up in the primary? Will anyone talk about him alligning my mom with David Duke? I guess what really bothers me is that all of the above bloggers (minus me) knows that what Jacques did in the primary is the same as what my mom did in the run-off. They would rather avoid this subject just like the Town Talk did.
Lamar, would you please respond to Morgan’s comments quickly so that they can be addressed in a civilized manner.
Well, lets face it. Your going to have a little mud slinging in every election. The problem with that on a “local level” is that people take it very personal, and they have that right.
Now with this particular race there were promises made not to get dirty (after the primary!!). I think people really paid some attention to that too. When Delores(fletcher)decided to get “nasty” people immediatly thought about those promises that were made. I think this directly harmed Brewers campaign.
Now the good news is that at the very end, after she lost, she gave a really good speech on Television. I think she was honest and genuinly felt bad about some of those ads. At that point she said to stand behind your new Mayor and help him to build a better Alexandria…Morgan.
Ha! I bet the Black Range Rover was probably Bridgett Brown. Yelling “I ain’t no black piggy, I’m the Range Rovin Mistress of the Night”.
I will agree with you, Morgan, that the Town Talk is biased, P.O.S. newspaper. But because I have always been a supporter of Jacques, I did agree with most of the points they made throughout the campaign. And I thought they treated your mom pretty fairly other than the “Roy Roasts Brewer” headline (which was pretty accurate albeit insensitive).
Unfortunately, I think you fail to grasp that in political races it’s VERY COMMON for opponents to spar. They dig up the dirt on one another and wave it around for voters to see. That’s completely fair, unless it’s LIES. Jacques questioned some of the business your family was involved in and he thought the public should know. He didn’t, by the way, call your mom a skunk…he said something doesn’t pass the smell test AKA your family’s business dealings. If the voting public believed that those dealings were fair & sound then it was their choice, but providing them with information to make that decision is completely legal.
Your mom’s approach to the campaign after the primary is VERY different than Jacques’s before then. For one thing, you just don’t bring your very serious personal issues into politics in the manner that she did. You just don’t! I’m a woman and that commercial disgusted me on so many levels. It wasn’t the fact that your mom “hit” Jacques back, as you said, it was the way she did it- COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATELY.
Your comparison of Democrats to Stalin is ridiculous. Not all uneducated, poor people are black or Democrats (and vice versa), as you insinuated. Besides, WHY would Democrats try to keep people uneducated???? I mean seriously. That’s a conservative conpiracy theory if I’ve ever heard one.
I have not seen or even heard about this David Duke flyer oh which you speak, so I can’t make an informed comment about it. I don’t think your mom and David Duke are the same though..
Anyway, it’s admirable that you’re very proud and protective of your mother. I also think it would have been great to elect our first female mayor, I just don’t think your mom was right for the job. I’m sorry you’ve had to experience some of the unnecessary behavior from various people. I think EVERYONE in this community needs to move on from this election and come together for the betterment of Alexandria.
Morgan:
I know you are wrong by alleging that Jacque went negative first. The first negative was the dirty push poll done by the Brewer campaign before the first negative peice hit the mailbox by Jacque.That started the war.The Brewer campaign had already had in place the negative flyer before Jacque started his.Good or bad, Jacque beat her to the mailbox with his.
The lesson learned from ALL past and future politicians is that OUR community does not like negative advertising.I feel certain that it will be more than a decade before we see it rear its ugly head again in Alexandria.Jacque understood this after the primary and I am sure your mother did too. Unfortunately, Fletcher was brought on board and he did what he thought was best for the campaign. Living in Alex. and seeing the negative ads. and the comments it drew from people it was easy to see that it was not a smart thing to do in our community.
Morgan exactly what half-truths were created? Everything on the mailer was well documented. The information from your mother’s press conference is a prime example of a half-truth. Yes, EMS does stand to make money off the Cleco settlement. Yes, Bridgett Brown stands to make money off the settlement as well as the attorneys in Baton Rouge. BUT they DO NOT stand to make what she was claiming. She continued with this charade in commercials, radio commentary and in letters she wrote under the opening of Dear Friend.
I won’t say she lied, just that she did not state the facts accurately. I used to have respect for her, but I have completely lost every ounce I had for her. Your mother let her ambition and her handlers take control of her campaign and she lost her dignity because of it. There comes a point where you have to make a decision to get a backbone and tell your advisers NO this is how you’re going to handle things. She had to know she was committing political suicide. You cannot blame Lamar, The Town Talk, or anyone else for her loss.