After their loss in Kentucky ….
Republicans have gone all out in this race….
Voters are heading to the polls Saturday to vote in Louisiana’s crucial gubernatorial race as both Democrats and Republicans go all in to push their candidate over the finish line.
Gov. John Bel Edwards, the sole Democratic governor in a Deep South state, is facing off against wealthy Republican businessman Eddie Rispone, a first-time candidate who has already thrown $12 million of his own money into his campaign. Signs point to a nail-biter Saturday, with two polls this week showing Edwards with just a 2-point lead, well within the margin of error.
Edwards led the jungle primary voting in October but was forced into a November runoff race when he failed to secure at least 50 percent of the vote. Rispone finished in second with 27 percent, splitting the GOP vote with Rep. Ralph Abraham (R-La.).
Early voting in the state this week reached a record volume in a nonpresidential year as the contest rises in statewide and national prominence. In a positive sign for Edwards, black voters made up approximately 31 percent of all those who cast their ballots early, a roughly 6-point bump from the share of black voters in the first round of balloting last month….
image…Rispone and Edwards…CNN.Com
Louisiana Sec. of State’s official election results web page (no results as of 8:30 p.m.):
https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/static/2019-11-16/resultsRace/Statewide
CG’s weekly update for the past week (focused on New Hampshire and impeachment) is here:
https://cgpolitics.blogspot.com/
First returns (as of 9:30 p.m. EST): with 53 of 64 parishes reporting absentee ballots + the first 16 precincts out of 3,934:
Gov.; 55.3% Rep (Rispone) to 44.7% Dem. (Edwards, inc.)
Sec of State: 67% R (Ardoin, inc.) to 33% D (Collins-Greenup
Louisiana Secretary of State
Unofficial Election Results
Results for Election Date: 11/16/2019
Last Loaded: 11/16/2019 9:59:59 PM
Governor
1414 of 3934 precincts reporting
Absentee reporting – 61 of 64 parishes
John Bel Edwards (DEM) 48.10% 356,473
“Eddie” Rispone (REP) 51.90% 384,634
Secretary of State
1414 of 3934 precincts reporting
Absentee reporting – 61 of 64 parishes
Kyle Ardoin (REP) 62.67% 454,433
“Gwen” Collins-Greenup (DEM) 37.33% 270,660
Looks as if it might be Rispone (R), but only by a whisker.
The parishes that have a significant number of outstanding precincts yet to report include: Orleans, Jefferson and E. Baton Rouge.
Last Loaded: 11/16/2019 10:31:34 PM
Governor
3199 of 3934 precincts reporting
Absentee reporting – 63 of 64 parishes
Click here for Results by Parish
John Bel Edwards (DEM) 49.58% 634,447
“Eddie” Rispone (REP) 50.42% 645,271
Secretary of State
3199 of 3934 precincts reporting
Absentee reporting – 63 of 64 parishes
Click here for Results by Parish
Kyle Ardoin (REP)
Now I want to watch Batman.
John Bel Edwards, the Pro-Life, socially conservative Democrat Governor of Louisiana has indeed been reelected as I predicted. I am happy to see this result and hope it bugs DJT (whether he is back from Walter Reed Hospital or not)
I was 3 for 3 this year in my predictions, with all three races being under 6 points, and two of them being extremely close.
Gov, john Bel Edwards (D) may just squeak through. With only 49 precincts to report out of 3,934 he’s ahead by about 2%.
The worst possible result would not be a Rispone landslide, but a very close GOP margin for which Pres. Trump would of course claim all the credit. “Only I can save you!”.
Louisiana Secretary of State
Unofficial Election Results
Results for Election Date: 11/16/2019
Last Loaded: 11/16/2019 11:26:38 PM
Governor
3885 of 3934 precincts reporting
Absentee reporting – 100%
John Bel Edwards (DEM) 51.07% 763,386
“Eddie” Rispone (REP) 48.93% 731,455
Secretary of State
3885 of 3934 precincts reporting
Absentee reporting – 100%
Kyle Ardoin (REP) 59.34% 863,657
“Gwen” Collins-Greenup (DEM) 40.66% 591,850
42 of those 49 outstanding precincts are in Orleans Parish (New Orleans), where Edwards is crushing Rispone, so I have little doubt as to who will win>
Orleans
309 of 351 precincts reporting
Absentee reporting – 100%
105,104 – Edwards (D)
11,345 – Rispone (R)
– 116,449 – Total
It’s all over bar the shouting (and maybe a recount).
With only 6 precincts yet to report (all in East Baton Rouge parish):
Unofficial Election Results
Results for Election Date: 11/16/2019
Last Loaded: 11/16/2019 11:44:36 PM
Governor
3928 of 3934 precincts reporting
Absentee reporting – 100%
John Bel Edwards (DEM) 51.33% 773,118
“Eddie” Rispone (REP) 48.67% 733,160
ecretary of State
3928 of 3934 precincts reporting
Absentee reporting – 100%
Kyle Ardoin (REP) 59.08% 866,260
“Gwen” Collins-Greenup (DEM) 40.92% 600,023
[By the way, the Batman episode on MeTV cast Julie Newmar as Catwoman with Chad & Jeremy as themselves. Tune in next Saturday, same Bat Time (10:30 p.m. EST), same Bat Channel, for the conclusion as the Caped Crusader and Boy Wonder struggle not to be turned into mindless robots by the Guest Villainess.]
Final (unofficial) election-night count.
Edwards re-elected with a lead of about 40,000 votes (2 2/3 %) out of about 1,408,000.
Kyle Ardoin (R), the Secretary of State, re-elected by about 266,000 votes or 18%.
Last Loaded: 11/17/2019 1:17:13 AM
Governor
All 3934 precincts reporting
Absentee reporting – 100%
John Bel Edwards (DEM) 51.34% 774,469
“Eddie” Rispone (REP) 48.66% 734,128
Secretary of State
All 3934 precincts reporting
Absentee reporting – 100%
Kyle Ardoin (REP) 59.07% 867,449
“Gwen” Collins-Greenup (DEM) 40.93% 601,102