"You're going out to replace a radical, liberal Democrat," Mr. Trump said to cheers last week, using an attack line which has had mixed success for Republicans in recent elections.
"John Bel Edwards has not done the job," the President added ahead of Louisiana's unusual November 16 runoff.
Trump will make his third appearance for Baton Rouge businessman Eddie Rispone tonight in Bossier City, just outside Shreveport, Louisiana.
— Bloomberg Government (@BGOV) November 14, 2019
But leading up to the election, Trump has become inescapable to anyone in Louisiana who watches TV. https://t.co/d6EKwDsiay
For Republicans, the Louisiana race for Governor is a chance to offset a loss earlier this month in Kentucky, where GOP Gov. Matt Bevin lost by just over 5,000 votes to Democrat Andy Beshear.
While the President campaigned for Bevin - as he has for Rispone in Louisiana - Bevin was an unpopular Governor, as he netted fewer votes than other Republicans on the ballot running in statewide elections.
After making various unsupported claims about possible voter fraud, and holding out the possibility of an extended challenge to the results, Bevin on Thursday afternoon conceded defeat.
That came after a recanvass in each Kentucky county showed no evidence of any changes in vote totals, as the Governor never produced any evidence of voter fraud.
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Republican Gov. Matt Bevin says he won’t contest results showing Democratic opponent winning Kentucky governor’s race.
— Jonathan Lemire (@JonLemire) November 14, 2019
There were three races for Governor in 2019 - Democrats won in Kentucky, and Republicans kept control with a victory in Mississippi.
That makes the Louisiana runoff the rubber match for this political year. Recent polls have shown a dead heat between Edwards and Rispone.
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