Not long after, he created waves in the state Republican party when he crossed party lines to officially endorse Edwards.
Advertisement
Nearly nobody thought John Bel Edwards, the Democratic leader in the Louisiana House of Representatives, was “supposed” to be where he is today, leading Republican Sen.
Democrat John Bel Edwards won election on Saturday as the next governor of Louisiana, staking a rare victory for his party in the conservative US South.
Until he ran for governor, Edwards had polled a total of 22,935 votes in two primaries and one general election for the state Legislature, representing parts of St. Helena and Tangipahoa parishes, a largely rural part of the state whose most famous native is pop singer Britney Spears. Louisiana voters are deciding on Saturday, November 21, whether to elect a Democrat to statewide office for the first time since 2008. “I trust the people of Louisiana”, Jindal said.
When Vitter declared, he immediately became the race’s frontrunner with what seemed a clear path to victory – but as his almost 20-year-old prostitution scandal came into play again and many Republican officials endorsed Edwards, the wheels came off the Vitter campaign. And with one final punch, he added, “I will never embarrass you”.
Before he officially announced his candidacy, Vitter had been seen as the front-runner, given his fundraising success, unquestioned conservative reputation and skill at crushing challengers.
Several Republicans already have said they’re interested in running for the position, including U.S. Reps. “You believed in our campaign to bring honor and integrity back to the state of Louisiana” said Edwards.
The run-off election will let Edwards succeed the term-limited Gov. Bobby Jindal, who just dropped out of the presidential race.
The US senator also was hampered by high disapproval ratings for his fellow Republican, Jindal, who is blamed for the state’s financial problems. The job is open because Republican Jay Dardenne ran unsuccessfully for governor. In the summer of 2007, he apologized for committing “a serious sin” after his phone number appeared on the client list of Deborah Jeane Palfrey, known as the “D.C. Madam”. Mary Landrieu, who ironically was the last Democrat elected statewide in 2008, was soundly defeated in 2014, though she gained more votes than any other Louisiana Democrat during the seven-year losing streak until Saturday night. Edwards focused on his West Point degree and military resume, and he pledged a bipartisan leadership style.
Taking nothing for granted, Edwards ran a brutal attack ad, implying that Vitter missed a key vote for veterans while speaking to a prostitute.
Advertisement
Polls have closed in Louisiana’s runoff election, with a hotly-contested governor’s race at the top of the ballot.
