Governor John Bel Edwards spent Thursday night’s gubernatorial debate defending his record. Republican Congressman Ralph Abraham blamed Edwards for the state’s struggling economy.
“Governor, you said that raising the sales tax will kill the Louisiana economy, congratulations Governor, you killed it,” said Abraham.”
GOP businessman Eddie Rispone says the Edwards administration is chasing jobs away.
“We are the only state that’s losing jobs,” said Rispone.
But Edwards says the reason why the state has a projected 500-million dollar surplus is because of a strong economy.
“It is bigger than the economists had predicted when they came up with the forecast and the idea that we’ve done anything other than to grow the economy is just false,” said Edwards.
Rispone using the debate to sell his image as a businessman and outsider but did take a shot at his fellow Republican over support for the President.
“Even when he was a candidate running against Hillary Clinton, I didn’t ask him to step aside,” said Rispone. “I’m so grateful that he did not take the advice of Mr. Abraham and step aside when he could have run against Hillary Clinton.”
Those comments were related to comments Abraham made in 2016 where he suggested President Trump withdraw after the Access Hollywood tape revelations.
The next televised debate is next Thursday.
