Bobby laps the field

　　鮑比一舉奪魁

　　Hints of a grander future in a comfortable victory

　　獲勝輕而易舉，美好未來初露端倪

　　THREE days before Louisianans headed to the polls on October 22nd, the leading Democraticcandidate for governor, Tara Hollis, told an audience in the low double digits at a campaignevent, Im David, and I dont mind taking on Goliath. Goliath in this case was Bobby Jindal, theoverwhelmingly popular Republican incumbent. Mrs Holliss sentiment was admirable, butDavid at least had a sling.

　　路易斯安那州于10月22日舉行州長投票選舉。在這三天前的一次競選活動中，最有希望的民主黨人塔拉?侯麗斯的得票數僅有可憐的兩位數，但她告訴現場參加活動的人：我就是大衛，我不怕歌利亞[注1]決一雌雄。她所指的歌利亞便是共和黨炙手可熱的候選人鮑比?金達爾。侯麗斯的宣言令人敬佩，不過，大衛至少還有一根機弦[注2]。

　　In political terms, Mrs Hollisa teacher from northern Louisiana galvanised into political actionwhen her husband, who taught at the same school, was sackedlacked even that. By her ownadmission she was a default candidate, becoming the Democratic front-runner because noone else stepped forwardeveryone thought someone would. She complained of receiving nohelp from the national party: They view Louisiana as a lost cause. In early October Mr Jindalhad over $6m on hand; Mrs Hollis had $384 .

　　侯麗斯曾是北路易斯安那州一名教師，在與她同所學校任教的丈夫被解雇后，她投身政治運動。就政治層面而言，她的確缺少這樣的機弦。她自己承認，她是那只出頭鳥，之所以代表民主黨參選是因為沒人愿意出這個風頭每人都希望別人挺身而出。對于民主黨未向她提供任何幫助一事，她也表達了自己的不滿：他們認為民主黨在路易斯安那州的競選注定失敗。十月初，金達爾手頭有600萬美元的競選資金，而侯麗斯只有384美元。

　　At her event Mrs Hollis spoke not of winning, but of holding Mr Jindal below 50%. Louisianasopen-primary system pits all candidates against each other. If none wins an outright majority,the two leading candidates compete in a run-off election . But even in that modest goal she failed: Mr Jindal took 66% of the vote,and Mrs Hollis finished a distant second of ten candidates, with 18%. No other candidatecracked 5%. Mr Jindals victory eclipsed the record set by Edwin Edwards, a four-term governorwho once boasted that the only way he could lose an election would be if he were caught inbed with either a dead girl or a live boy.

　　侯麗斯參選時曾表示，她的目標并非勝出，而是使得金達爾的得票率保持在50%以下。在路易斯安那州的開放預選制度下，所有候選人針鋒相對。如果第一輪投票沒有候選者獲得絕對多數的投票，那么票數領先的兩名候選人將在第二輪投票中決一死戰。但即使是如此保守的一個目標，侯麗斯也未能達到：金達爾獲得了66%的投票率。盡管侯麗斯的得票率在10名候選者中位列第二，但仍與金達爾相距甚遠她僅有18%。其余候選人中沒有一人的得票率突破了5%。金達爾的勝利使得愛德文?愛德華茲也相形見絀。愛德華茲擔任了四屆路易斯安那州州長，他曾宣稱，使他失掉競選的唯一可能便是抓到他與一具女尸或一名男孩捉奸在床。

　　Also setting a record was the low turnout of not quite 36%. This was perhaps unsurprising,as the election was held on a Saturday, and Mr Jindals overwhelming popularity, not tomention his crushing financial advantage, made his victory an all-but-foregone conclusion. Heis an unusual figure in Louisiana politics: Ivy League educated, young and born in BatonRouge just months after his parents emigrated there from Punjab. When he was elected fouryears ago, at 36, he was the youngest governor and the only Indian-American one . He haspushed hard for ethics reform; no mean feat in a state that, as one former congressman putit, is half underwater and half under indictment.

　　同樣創下紀錄的，還有不到路易斯安那州人數36%的投票人數。這或許不足為奇，因為競選是在周六舉行的，此外，金達爾的廣受歡迎，更別提他的經濟優勢，都使他贏得競選幾乎成了探囊取物。在路易斯安那州的政治家里，他算得上卓爾不群：畢業于常春藤盟校，年輕有為，在其父母從旁遮普移民到美國幾個月后，他在路州首府巴吞魯日出生。四年前，他贏得路州州長競選時，年僅36歲，成為了美國最年輕同時也是唯一一位印裔州長[2010年，南卡羅萊納州選舉妮可?哈雷為州長，父母也是來自旁遮普的她在金達爾贏得選舉后的6個月也成功當選]。金達爾力推道德規范改革;正如一位前國會會員所評，在一個被洪災和官司困擾的州，這算是了不起的成就了。

　　Mr Jindal won every parishtaking 38% of the vote even in heavily Democratic New Orleansand exceeded his victory four years ago by 12 points. A couple of the other races on theballotparticularly for lieutenant-governorwere more hotly contested, but in the endRepublicans won them all. They now hold every statewide office save one Senate seat inCongress, to which Mary Landrieu perilously clings.

　　金達爾在路州各行政區的投票中都已勝出甚至在民主黨候選人較多的新奧爾良也獲得了38% 的投票率其獲得的平均投票率較四年前高出12個百分點。而其他競選中尤其是副州長競選中競爭更為激烈，不過最終仍是共和黨大獲全勝。除了瑪麗?蘭德魯難以保住的一個國會議員席位外，共和黨已掌控了各州政府。

　　The question now is how long Mr Jindal remains in office. If Republicans win the presidency, hecould find himself in the cabinet. If Rick Perry wins the nomination, he could find himself sharingthe ticket: he endorsed Mr Perry early and enthusiastically. Should Barack Obama win, MrJindal could easily snatch that one last Senate seat from Ms Landrieu. Mr Jindal says he plans toserve out his full term as governor. Such plans are easily changed.

　　當前問題是，金達爾的州長任期會有多長。如果共和黨贏得總統大選，他也許就能躋身內閣。如果瑞奇?佩里贏得總統候選人提名，金達爾也許也能成為候選人之一：他一開始就全力支持佩里。如果巴拉克?奧巴馬成功連任，金達爾也許就能輕易獲得蘭德魯手中的議員席位。金達爾說他計劃擔任州長一職直至任期結束。不過，這種計劃很容易就改弦易轍。

　　Bobby laps the field

　　鮑比一舉奪魁

　　Hints of a grander future in a comfortable victory

　　獲勝輕而易舉，美好未來初露端倪

　　THREE days before Louisianans headed to the polls on October 22nd, the leading Democraticcandidate for governor, Tara Hollis, told an audience in the low double digits at a campaignevent, Im David, and I dont mind taking on Goliath. Goliath in this case was Bobby Jindal, theoverwhelmingly popular Republican incumbent. Mrs Holliss sentiment was admirable, butDavid at least had a sling.

　　路易斯安那州于10月22日舉行州長投票選舉。在這三天前的一次競選活動中，最有希望的民主黨人塔拉?侯麗斯的得票數僅有可憐的兩位數，但她告訴現場參加活動的人：我就是大衛，我不怕歌利亞[注1]決一雌雄。她所指的歌利亞便是共和黨炙手可熱的候選人鮑比?金達爾。侯麗斯的宣言令人敬佩，不過，大衛至少還有一根機弦[注2]。

　　In political terms, Mrs Hollisa teacher from northern Louisiana galvanised into political actionwhen her husband, who taught at the same school, was sackedlacked even that. By her ownadmission she was a default candidate, becoming the Democratic front-runner because noone else stepped forwardeveryone thought someone would. She complained of receiving nohelp from the national party: They view Louisiana as a lost cause. In early October Mr Jindalhad over $6m on hand; Mrs Hollis had $384 .

　　侯麗斯曾是北路易斯安那州一名教師，在與她同所學校任教的丈夫被解雇后，她投身政治運動。就政治層面而言，她的確缺少這樣的機弦。她自己承認，她是那只出頭鳥，之所以代表民主黨參選是因為沒人愿意出這個風頭每人都希望別人挺身而出。對于民主黨未向她提供任何幫助一事，她也表達了自己的不滿：他們認為民主黨在路易斯安那州的競選注定失敗。十月初，金達爾手頭有600萬美元的競選資金，而侯麗斯只有384美元。

　　At her event Mrs Hollis spoke not of winning, but of holding Mr Jindal below 50%. Louisianasopen-primary system pits all candidates against each other. If none wins an outright majority,the two leading candidates compete in a run-off election . But even in that modest goal she failed: Mr Jindal took 66% of the vote,and Mrs Hollis finished a distant second of ten candidates, with 18%. No other candidatecracked 5%. Mr Jindals victory eclipsed the record set by Edwin Edwards, a four-term governorwho once boasted that the only way he could lose an election would be if he were caught inbed with either a dead girl or a live boy.

　　侯麗斯參選時曾表示，她的目標并非勝出，而是使得金達爾的得票率保持在50%以下。在路易斯安那州的開放預選制度下，所有候選人針鋒相對。如果第一輪投票沒有候選者獲得絕對多數的投票，那么票數領先的兩名候選人將在第二輪投票中決一死戰。但即使是如此保守的一個目標，侯麗斯也未能達到：金達爾獲得了66%的投票率。盡管侯麗斯的得票率在10名候選者中位列第二，但仍與金達爾相距甚遠她僅有18%。其余候選人中沒有一人的得票率突破了5%。金達爾的勝利使得愛德文?愛德華茲也相形見絀。愛德華茲擔任了四屆路易斯安那州州長，他曾宣稱，使他失掉競選的唯一可能便是抓到他與一具女尸或一名男孩捉奸在床。

　　Also setting a record was the low turnout of not quite 36%. This was perhaps unsurprising,as the election was held on a Saturday, and Mr Jindals overwhelming popularity, not tomention his crushing financial advantage, made his victory an all-but-foregone conclusion. Heis an unusual figure in Louisiana politics: Ivy League educated, young and born in BatonRouge just months after his parents emigrated there from Punjab. When he was elected fouryears ago, at 36, he was the youngest governor and the only Indian-American one . He haspushed hard for ethics reform; no mean feat in a state that, as one former congressman putit, is half underwater and half under indictment.

　　同樣創下紀錄的，還有不到路易斯安那州人數36%的投票人數。這或許不足為奇，因為競選是在周六舉行的，此外，金達爾的廣受歡迎，更別提他的經濟優勢，都使他贏得競選幾乎成了探囊取物。在路易斯安那州的政治家里，他算得上卓爾不群：畢業于常春藤盟校，年輕有為，在其父母從旁遮普移民到美國幾個月后，他在路州首府巴吞魯日出生。四年前，他贏得路州州長競選時，年僅36歲，成為了美國最年輕同時也是唯一一位印裔州長[2010年，南卡羅萊納州選舉妮可?哈雷為州長，父母也是來自旁遮普的她在金達爾贏得選舉后的6個月也成功當選]。金達爾力推道德規范改革;正如一位前國會會員所評，在一個被洪災和官司困擾的州，這算是了不起的成就了。

　　Mr Jindal won every parishtaking 38% of the vote even in heavily Democratic New Orleansand exceeded his victory four years ago by 12 points. A couple of the other races on theballotparticularly for lieutenant-governorwere more hotly contested, but in the endRepublicans won them all. They now hold every statewide office save one Senate seat inCongress, to which Mary Landrieu perilously clings.

　　金達爾在路州各行政區的投票中都已勝出甚至在民主黨候選人較多的新奧爾良也獲得了38% 的投票率其獲得的平均投票率較四年前高出12個百分點。而其他競選中尤其是副州長競選中競爭更為激烈，不過最終仍是共和黨大獲全勝。除了瑪麗?蘭德魯難以保住的一個國會議員席位外，共和黨已掌控了各州政府。

　　The question now is how long Mr Jindal remains in office. If Republicans win the presidency, hecould find himself in the cabinet. If Rick Perry wins the nomination, he could find himself sharingthe ticket: he endorsed Mr Perry early and enthusiastically. Should Barack Obama win, MrJindal could easily snatch that one last Senate seat from Ms Landrieu. Mr Jindal says he plans toserve out his full term as governor. Such plans are easily changed.

　　當前問題是，金達爾的州長任期會有多長。如果共和黨贏得總統大選，他也許就能躋身內閣。如果瑞奇?佩里贏得總統候選人提名，金達爾也許也能成為候選人之一：他一開始就全力支持佩里。如果巴拉克?奧巴馬成功連任，金達爾也許就能輕易獲得蘭德魯手中的議員席位。金達爾說他計劃擔任州長一職直至任期結束。不過，這種計劃很容易就改弦易轍。