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Louisiana voters will get a second chance to voice their opinion for the governorship after neither Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards or Republican candidate Eddie Rispone received a majority of the vote.
Politico reports “Edwards was unable to pass the 50 percent threshold; he received 47 percent of the votes cast, according to the AP, with 99 percent of precincts reporting.”
“Rispone, meanwhile, held off a fellow Republican, Rep. Ralph Abraham, 27 percent to 24 percent, to capture second place and earn a head-to-head shot against Edwards on Nov. 16,” the report continued.
BREAKING: Runoff election will decide if Louisiana's John Bel Edwards wins second term as Deep South's only Democratic governor. https://t.co/PZnolJLABh
— The Associated Press (@AP) October 13, 2019
The two will have five weeks to continue their campaigns as voters will head for the polls again on Nov. 16.
Politico adds:
President Donald Trump held an election-eve campaign rally in Lake Charles on Friday night, standing alongside both Rispone and Abraham as he urged Louisianans to vote for one of the GOP candidates and deny Edwards the outright victory. The two Republicans also appeared at similar events over the past week with Vice President Mike Pence and Donald Trump Jr., the president’s son.
Trump celebrated the results Saturday night — and took credit for preventing Edwards from winning a second term. Edwards, Trump said on Twitter, “has done a poor job” as governor, and he called Rispone “a great Republican” in all caps. He also claimed, without evidence, that “after I explained what a bad job [Edwards] was doing,” the Democrat’s poll numbers dropped from 66 percent to the 47 percent he received on Saturday. Edwards’ highest vote share in pre-primary public polling was 52 percent, according to RealClearPolitics, a website that compiles public polls.
President Trump patted himself on the back after the Democratic governor failed to win the election.
“The Governor of Louisiana, John Bel Edwards, has done a poor job. NOW HE IS IN A RUNOFF WITH A GREAT REPUBLICAN, @EddieRispone. Thank you, Louisiana! 66% down to 47% after I explained what a bad job the Governor was doing.”
The Governor of Louisiana, John Bel Edwards, has done a poor job. NOW HE IS IN A RUNOFF WITH A GREAT REPUBLICAN, @EddieRispone. Thank you Louisiana! 66% down to 47% after I explained what a bad job the Governor was doing.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 13, 2019
The Associated Press reports Edwards is bracing for a unified Republican effort to unseat him in the upcoming election.
“We’ve got a little more work to do,” he told a group of his supporters.
