The outcomes of a handful of races could have great ramifications on how Gov. John Bel Edwards’ political influence is perceived, shakeup federal relations for this administration and create headaches for this 2019 re-election campaign, Jeremy Alford writes in his latest column.
At the top of the watchlist is who wins the presidency, says Alford.
“In the wake of this year’s flooding events, Edwards, a Democrat, has already proven that there are benefits to wearing the same party label as the sitting president. The governor more or less got what he needed from the executive branch upon asking, minus the usual politics,” he writes. “That’s a far cry from the divide that surfaced between Baton Rouge and Washington following Hurricane Katrina.”
Relations between the Governor’s Mansion and the White House simply wouldn’t be the same as they are now if Republican Donald Trump were to win, Alford says. A victory by Democrat Hillary Clinton would go further toward maintaining the status quo, Alford says, adding it wouldn’t come without a cost for Edwards.
“When he runs for re-election in 2019, it’s easy to imagine Republicans pushing hard to connect him to Clinton under this scenario, despite her successes or failures,” he writes. “It’s a trustworthy template for the GOP, which has spent recent years demonizing any Democrat with real or imagined ties to President Barack Obama.”
With Trump expected to easily win Louisiana’s electoral votes, Alford says there’s very little Edwards can do to change the outcome of the presidential race. But he is seeking to sway the U.S. Senate race.
“Recent governors have shared terrible track records on major endorsements like this, but Edwards is hoping to turn the tide by supporting Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell,” he writes. “It’s a bold position in a 24-candidate field. If Campbell emerges as the top vote-getter in a December runoff, Edwards’ political stock will certainly jump several points among national Democrats. Edwards will be able to say he helped secure another statewide win for Democrats in the ruby red Deep South.”
Should Campbell fail to win, however, “the governor’s enemies back home will never let him forget it,” Alford writes.
Edwards is also putting his name on the line in the Public Service Commission’s 4th District race, Alford notes. The governor has endorsed Mary Werner, who is the daughter of Buddy Leach, the former chairman of the Louisiana Democratic Party and a one-time congressman.
Jeremy Alford publishes LaPolitics Weekly, a newsletter on Louisiana politics, at LaPolitics.com. Follow him on Twitter, or on Facebook. He can be reached at JJA@LaPolitics.com.
