Democrat John Bel Edwards in victor

Two other Republicans on the statewide ballot beat their Democratic challengers handily, each drawing 100,000 more Republican votes than Vitter did, according to the secretary of state’s website.

Nungesser’s campaign, meanwhile, spent more than $2 million in the primary alone, building his name recognition in an attack-heavy slug fest with fellow Republican John Young, president of Jefferson Parish.

DAVID VITTER: But I’m only going to be doing that for one more year, through this term.

For the rest of the Louisiana GOP not party to the stupid, and counterproductive, feud between the two, the likely answer will be a pox on both their houses and a demand to reshuffle the political deck with new players and a new hierarchy.

Thus the Jindal faction – the outgoing governor, Angelle, Jindal’s political guru Timmy Teepell who was behind Angelle’s campaign all along though never publicly acknowledged – was able to damage Vitter’s campaign at the crucial time. Vitter defeated two other Republicans Scott Angelle and Jay Dardenne to advance to the runoff with 23 percent. Edwards and his supporters attacked Vitter’s character at every turn with harsh language, calling him a liar and a stain on Louisiana.

Edwards will succeed Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal and becomes the first Democratic governor to win election in the Deep South in 12 years – countering the prevailing narrative in recent years that Democrats have lost the ability to win in that portion of the country.

The prostitution scandal came back to life when American Zombie investigative blogger Jason Brad Berry posted video interviews he’d conducted with Wendy Ellis, the former New Orleans prostitute who had claimed in 2007 she’d slept with Vitter.

He also leveraged his appointment to West Point, where he became an Army Ranger before returning to Louisiana to raise his family.

Vitter conceded the election before all of the unofficial results were announced.

Inauguration for the new governor will be held on January 20, 2016.

“Vitter is dropping in the polls and feeling his lead slipping away, so his paranoia and desperation are kicking in”, said Republican pollster Rolf McCollister, The Daily Beast reported.

Vitter is no longer seeking re-election to his Senate seat. Boustany, Fleming and Kennedy all attended Vitter’s gubernatorial party Saturday night, in spite of knowing he likely wouldn’t win. He said Landry had too little legal experience to run the state’s top law office. “So I think the people of Louisiana spoke tonight and spoke with a loud voice”.

Not everyone who might jump into the Senate race next year would be a Vitter ally. Angelle was one of Vitter’s Republican opponents in the gubernatorial primary.

Edwards thanked voters in a statement late Saturday.

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu also declined to rule out a run for Senate when asked by a reporter recently. “And govern from the perspective of being Louisianians first”, said Edwards. Vitter also had to overcome voters’ frustration with the current Republican Governor, Bobby Jindal, who is term limited.