For Louisiana’s gubernatorial race, the Republican Governors Association has already spent nearly $3 million on TV and digital advertising since July—all of which, absent a Republican nominee, have been attack ads against Gov. John Bel Edwards, the incumbent Democrat.
Central to all messaging thus far is what the RGA bills as an “anti-business agenda” pervasive throughout Edwards’ first term, marked by business- and industry-specific issues like the industrial tax exemption program.
“Businesses don’t feel like they have someone in their corner,” says Amelia Chasse Alcivar, RGA communications director. “We see an environment where a lot of voters are looking for a governor who is going to be able to take advantage of a moving national economy, which hasn’t been in the case in Louisiana.”
Among specific talking points featured in the ads: Louisiana’s job losses since 2015, when Edwards took office; its third-year-in-a-row ranking as the worst state, based on quality-of-life measures, in U.S. News & World Report’s annual “Best States” survey; and Edwards raising the state sales tax by 25%.
But the national organization—which is primarily dedicated to electing and supporting Republican governors—won’t have an easy path to victory.
Though it’s too soon to predict whether he’d win outright in the primary, Edwards seems to be in a reasonably good position for the upcoming election, with a recent independent statewide poll showing the incumbent governor leads his two Republican challengers—U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham and Baton Rouge businessman Eddie Rispone—by seven points (47% to their combined 40%).
The governor also raised $1.54 million from July 5 to Sept. 2—the most any Louisiana gubernatorial candidate has ever raised in the July-September fundraising period, his re-election campaign announced this morning—with 88% of the recent donations coming from Louisianans.
Still, with only three gubernatorial elections taking place next month, Alcivar says the RGA has been able to place significant focus on Louisiana since March. It’s engaged with the Republican Party of Louisiana, as well as different business groups and their PACs.
Of the three upcoming races across the country, Alcivar says the RGA’s spending in Louisiana is “comparable” to that in Kentucky, but “greater” than in Mississippi.
While declining to discuss the organization’s future spending plan for the race, she says the RGA will pay for ads to be on TV through the primary and, if it comes to it, the general election, supporting whichever GOP candidate advances to the runoff.
