 |
| Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards was elected to a second term defeated challenger Eddie Rispone on Saturday, November 16, 2019. |
Pres. Trump was not the "luck charm" a second Republican candidate for governor hoped he would be in Louisiana.
Louisianans Democrats have re-elected Gov. John Bel Edwards to serve the Pelican State for 4 more years. A minister prayed before his acceptance speech asking for blessings over the governor and traditionally red state. After defeating businessman Eddie Rispone, Edwards praised his entire family for their support. "They believed in me...especially our faith and I believe in social justice," he said in reference to the values he holds and perhaps a broader swipe at Conservative Evangelicals who appear to think have a monopoly on Christianity.
Pres. Trump's campaign efforts for Rispone earlier this week failed. The president had visited Louisiana twice within a month. This is the second time a Republican governor has lost their seat after Trump rallied for them, following a recent loss in Kentucky. Trump held Louisiana by 20 percentage points in his first run for president, but this win his favorability there may be waning.
Looking ahead, Edwards said his #1 priority for the second term is early childhood education. "The partisan forces in Washington, DC are not strong enough to break the bond we have," the newly minted second term governor proclaimed to loud cheers.