Fierce battle over rare Democratic governorship in South

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards fought Saturday to hang on to a rare Democratic governorship in Deep South Trump territory against a national GOP offensive aimed at forcing him into a runoff.

Republicans were trying to hold Edwards under the 50% benchmark the region's only Democratic governor needed to win outright over five others in the field. President Donald Trump made a last-minute appeal to Louisiana's voters to reject Edwards.

Edwards, Louisiana's only Democratic statewide elected official, faced two main GOP challengers, U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham and businessman Eddie Rispone. But three lesser-known contenders also threatened to peel off a few percentage points to tip the balance and push Edwards into a Nov. 16 runoff election.

Also on the ballot were six Republican statewide elected officials running for reelection to new four-year terms, and voters were deciding four proposed constitutional changes.

Read more: https://www.mrt.com/news/us/article/Louisiana-s-Democratic-governor-reaching-for-14516541.php
(Midland Reporter-Telegram)