With a victory that defied political geography and near universal predictions from just months earlier, a previously little-known Democrat, State Rep. John Bel Edwards, soundly defeated U.S. Sen.
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John Bel Edwards’ victory in Saturday’s runoff election was once-unthinkable in the conservative state and a stunning turn of events for Vitter, who started his campaign almost two years ago as the race’s front-runner.
Vitter said he’d reached his “personal term limit” and would leave the Senate when his term expires in January 2017, but he pledged to work with the new administration in Baton Rouge while in the nation’s capital.
Asked whether people were paying attention to the Syrian issue, she said they were focused on a flawed candidate in Vitter and “what Jindal had done” in office. More recently, the race shifted to a referendum on Vitter, particularly his 2007 prostitution scandal, his campaign tactics and his inability to unify GOP support. “Despite a disappointing result in the gubernatorial race, we’re confident that our Republican Legislature and activists across the state will hold Governor-elect Edwards accountable”. It was the first practical political test of the issue as Republican presidential candidates and governors nationwide call for refusing Syrian refugees. A state trial lawyers’ group ran an independent spot prior to the October 24 all-party “jungle primary” hitting Vitter for the alleged past solicitation. “I moved here two years ago under Jindal, and he has not been good for the state”. Jindal rejected the funds during his second term.
“I’m not moving away from expanding Medicaid, but we may have have hurdles”, Edwards conceded, also saying he must “make sure we have the revenue source identified and in place” to fund Louisiana’s 10 percent match for the expansion.
Edwards said he will go to working immediately building a transition team and meeting with lawmakers. Vitter could seek re-election to the Senate in 2016, though Republican colleagues are hardly enthusiastic about that scenario, concerned his unpopularity could throw the seat to a Democratic opponent. But Edwards was forced into the one-on-one contest with Vitter because he failed to get 50 percent of the vote. And therefore, the Dardenne supporters now launching “I told you so” taunts at their fellow Republicans from the depths of his fourth place finish in the primary would do well to hold their tongues.
The rebuke from Louisiana voters will create an open Senate seat for the 2016 election, as Vitter announced he wouldn’t seek re-election to Congress. Several Republicans already have said they’re interested in running for the position, including U.S. Reps.
“I will always be honest with you”. Louisiana voters are deciding on Saturday, Nov. 21, whether to elect a Democrat to statewide office for the first time since 2008.
Vitter also had to overcome voters’ frustration with the current Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal, who is term-limited.
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Edwards is the type of Democrat that should be able to win in the conservative state his ads have stressed his opposition to abortion and support for gun rights, and he’s also opposed to gay marriage.
