Democrat John Bel Edwards heads to Louisiana governor runoff

The Republican USA senator David Vitter and Democratic state representative John Bel Edwards highlighted their strategies on Saturday night, as the candidate list was whittled to two in the governor’s race. Vitter is trying to make his head-to-head matchup with Edwards a partisan competition. (In Mississippi, the year’s other gubernatorial race, Gov. Phil Bryant is cruising over a truck driver who won a low-information Democratic primary.) Kentucky’s Beshear remains popular, giving Democrats – including his son, a candidate for attorney general – a buoy to cling to when the Obama attacks come in. Months ago, Vitter was atop the polls, flush with millions in campaign cash and running like an incumbent. Certainly a few percentage will show up largely for that reason, yet history shows – unless it’s an Edwin Edwards-David Duke situation – the concept of showing up to vote against a candidate, rather than for someone, is not a great motivator.

Edwards is campaigning as a conservative Democrat, pro-gun and anti-abortion, and comes from a family of sheriffs. “I stood up to Bobby Jindal and his disastrous policies”, Edwards said in his campaign. The only way that happens is by convincing enough Angelle and Dardenne supporters to cross party lines in the runoff. Vitter has dodged talk of the scandal, suggesting he and the voters have moved on. “Baton Rouge is broken and dysfunctional, and there are no adult leaders there taking on the big challenges”, Vitter said in one of only two TV debates he attended. Edwards did well in the River Parishes. “And David Vitter wouldn’t last five minutes at West Point”, Edwards said Saturday night.

Democrat John Bel Edwards gives his wife, Donna, a congratulatory kiss before addressing the crowd Saturday, October 24, 2015, in downtown Baton Rouge, La.

While Edwards always seemed assured of a runoff spot, Vitter bested two other major Republicans to secure his position on the November ballot, eclipsing Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle and Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne. Democrats are in the hunt for Louisiana thanks to the re-emergence of the prostitution scandal that Vitter has never truly recovered from.

Two other Republicans have trailed in the polls.

The Republican Governors Association has taken the same sledgehammer approach to both races, reminding any Democrat who does not personally appear next to the president that his face can be spliced next to his.