WITH the backing of the Christian right, the television commentator Pat Buchanan won the first round of the 1996 race for the Republican presidential nomination, though the main contenders were absent from the field.
Mr Buchanan crushed his fellow conservative, Senator Phil Gramm of Texas, in a Republican caucus in Louisiana, with a radio personality, Alan Keyes, third. He claimed his victory made him the number one conservative alternative to Senator Bob Dole.
Senator Gramm, the top fundraiser in the Deep South, had expected to win Louisiana easily. In the end he took only eight of Louisiana's seats at the Republican National Convention, with 14 going to Mr Buchanan.
A boycott of Louisiana by most Republican candidates diminished the significance of Mr Buchanan's victory, but he can now claim a place in the upper tier of contenders with the front runners, Senator Dole and the millionaire publisher, Mr Steve Forbes.
Louisiana's Republicans, who make up only 17 per cent of registered voters in this heavily Democratic state, tend to be socially conservative, and Mr Buchanan's core support in the northern states is limited.
Half of those who turned out for the Louisiana caucus, conducted like a primary election with polling booths at 42 sites, identified themselves as supporters of the conservative Christian Coalition.
The result severely damaged Senator Gramm's chances of surviving the more important Iowa caucus on February 12th, add his prospect of raising money for the New Hampshire Republican primary election a week later.
Senator Gramm had expected to poll well in his neighbouring state, and had invested heavily in Louisiana. It was his initiative to persuade the state to hold the first caucus, to give himself an early victory.
He admitted that a loss in the southern state could be fatal to his effort, saying it determined who the real conservative candidate is. He said a week ago, "To become President of the United States, I have to win here in Louisiana."
The other Contenders the Republican nomination, including Senator Dole and Mr Forbes, opted out of the Louisiana contest in deference to Iowa's tradition as the first important electoral forum.
"The battle of the bayou is over," said Mr Buchanan after his victory on Tuesday evening, referring to the swamps of southern Louisiana. "This isn't a victory for a man, it's a victory for a cause, it's a victory for a great movement. It's moving across this country. This is a victory for a new conservatism of the heart."
Mr Buchanan campaigned on a strong anti abortion platform and won support in Louisiana's traditionally Catholic bayou districts. He attacked the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and other international deals, claiming they took US jobs abroad.
He won the important endorsement of Governor Mike Foster, who shared his opposition to organised gambling in the state, which had made contributions to the Gramm campaign.
Reuter adds:
British bookmakers said they had cut the odds on Mr Buchanan's chances of becoming president after his win in Louisiana.
"Whilst Buchanan's odds are halved from 100 to one to 50 to one, he remains an outsider, but the strength of his vote is had news for Bob Dole and shattering for Phil Gramm" a Ladbrokes spokesman said.
Mr Dole's odds have fallen to 9/4 from 6/4 while Mr Forbes's chances have risen to 7/2 from 8/1. Mr Gramm's odds plummeted to 33/1 from 14/1. Ladbrokes gives President Clinton odds of 8/15 down from 4/7.