The Louisiana Republican Party releases it’s list of statewide office endorsements headlined by both major GOP gubernatorial candidates, and a clear favorite in the race for Insurance Commissioner.
LSU-Shreveport Poli Sci Professor Jeff Sadow says it’s not a surprise that the party backed both Congressman Abraham and Eddie Rispone, as there’s little to gain from picking sides in a tight primary.
“They don’t want to be on the bad side of a candidate if they don’t endorse them and they end up getting the nomination, or the reverse where it looks bad if they endorse somebody and they don’t win.”
A recent independent poll shows Rispone within striking distance of Abraham for the right to take on the Governor in a potential November run-off.
Incumbent Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon got the nod over challenger Tim Temple. That could sway the election in a race where there’s not a lot of policy daylight between the two Republicans.
“It’s really not a whole lot of a difference in the sense that one is just saying, I’m doing a lot, and the other is just saying, he is not doing enough and needs to do more of a lot in that job,” said Sadow.
All other statewide officeholders received a GOP endorsement.
Sadow adds the state party is likely skeptical of Temple due to the prominent consulting role former Democratic Insurance Commissioner Robert Wooley holds in the Temple campaign.
“There’s a thinking that Temple may represent a Democrat in Republicans clothing.”
Wooley resigned the position in 2006. His deputy at the time, Donelon, then stepped into the role he’s held ever since. Campaign finance reports show Temple has paid at least $90,000 to Wooley for consulting this year.