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Democratic Louisiana Governor Wins Re-Election in Massive Defeat for Trump

Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards won re-election in a highly contested high dollar race against a candidate who spent at least $12 million of his own money and had President Donald Trump at his beck and call. Edwards beat Republican Eddie Rispone, who Trump had personally campaigned for three times in the state in the past five weeks, and had promoted repeatedly on Twitter.
Louisiana, 3 hours left, get out and Vote for @EddieRispone for Governor. Lower taxes and much more!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 16, 2019
Calling it a “hard loss” and “a stinging rebuke” for Trump, The New York Times notes the president’s multiple visits to campaign for Rispone were “an effort to lift the Republicans and demonstrate his own clout.”
Bel Edwards campaigned on his record, which included expanding badly-needed Medicare, raising taxes to help fix the state’s budget, and giving teachers a pay increase.
Governor Edwards’ predecessor, Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal, “repeatedly used short-term patches to eliminate financial shortfalls,” The Shreveport Times reported in January. “They raided savings accounts, drained trust funds, sold off state property and delayed bill payments to keep the budget in balance amid tax breaks that siphoned away more and more money from the treasury.”
Earlier this week in Louisiana President Trump campaigned for Rispone, but appeared to be more interested in framing the election as a vote of confidence for himself.
This Saturday, the eyes of history are looking at the people of Louisiana. If you want to defend your values, your jobs, and your freedom, then you need to REPLACE Radical Liberal John Bel Edwards with a true Louisiana Patriot: @EddieRispone! #GeauxVote pic.twitter.com/odAuD5DFPB
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 15, 2019
Trump had recently backed Kentucky Republican governor Matt Devin for re-election. He too went down in defeat.
In Virginia Republicans, despite Trump’s support, lost massively. Democrats took control of both the House and Senate, giving them control of the State Legislature and the Governor’s office for the first time since 1973.
Pollster Matt McDermott summed it up Saturday night:
Since Trump took office, Democrats have flipped governorships in: Kansas, Nevada, New Mexico, New Jersey, Illinois, Maine, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Kentucky. And now, held the governorship in Louisiana, where Trump won in 2016 by 20 points.
— Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) November 17, 2019
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