Campaign photo shoot for Eddie Rispone for Governor Saturday Feb. 16, 2019 at various locations in St. Francisville, LA. Photo by Ted Jackson
Eddie Rispone begins airing a TV ad today that attacks fellow GOP gubernatorial candidate Ralph Abraham. A recent independent poll has Rispone eight points back of Abraham as the two fight for a chance to face Governor Edwards in a run-off. LSU-Shreveport Political Science Professor Jeff Sadow says the attack ad is concerning for Republicans.
“The last thing that Republicans want to see is the two major candidates, or at least one of them, going after the other,” said Sadow. “The only possible winner out of this, in the long run, would be Governor Edwards.”
Back in March, Louisiana GOP Chairman Louis Gurvich released a statement asking the Republican candidates to concentrate their criticism on Edwards, because in-party fighting will only help Edwards win a second term in office.
A run-off would be triggered if Governor Edwards does not earn more than 50 percent of the vote on October 12th.
Rispone has spent over seven million dollars to raise his statewide profile, but he’s stuck polling below 20 percent. Sadow says the Rispone campaign is starting to mix up their strategy.
“Maybe in his mind or maybe his consultant’s mind, it is a surer tactic to attack the guy who is closest to you on the issues,” said Sadow.
The attack ad criticizes Abraham for missing Congressional votes, a line of attack common to the Edwards campaign. It also criticizes Abraham for comments critical of Donald Trump in 2016 where the Congressman said then-candidate Trump should consider dropping out of the race in the wake of the Access Hollywood tape.
“Perhaps for some Republican voters who identify strongly with President Trump, this maybe has a little better chance of working because it’s something new,” said Sadow.
The tape detailed a conversation where President Trump bragged about grabbing women by the genitals.
