St. George organizers may not be officially endorsing any candidates in the upcoming runoff election, but, while encouraging residents to go to the polls Nov. 16, they made one point clear: Much is at stake for their new city in the runoff elections.
At today’s get-out-the-vote-themed Ronald Reagan Newsmakers Luncheon, St. George spokesman Drew Murrell said the upcoming election is the second-most important—after Oct. 12, when voters approved the city’s incorporation—in St. George’s short history.
“It could decide how exactly St. George moves forward, how much resistance we face, and how much smoother a path it would be if we had conservative politicians working toward a goal of better, more efficient government instead of roadblocks,” Murrell told the room of mostly Republican attendees. “Let’s get the right kind of leadership that’s going to represent us, from the governor’s office on down.”
Noting St. George isn’t affiliated with a political party and has supporters from all political stripes, Murrell said there are several candidates the city opposes, all of whom happen to be Democrats. These include Beverly Brooks Thompson and Belinda Davis, who have made public comments opposing St. George, and incumbent Gov. John Bel Edwards, who previously vetoed legislation supporting the city’s transition.
Murrell also discussed Mayor Sharon Weston Broome’s litigation against St. George organizers Norman Browning and Chris Rials, saying they hope “at some point, better heads will prevail and they’ll discontinue this needless litigation.”
Speaking on behalf of gubernatorial candidate Eddie Rispone and Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin were, respectively, Eddie’s son, Thad Rispone, and Ardoin’s chief of staff Nancy Landry, a former state representative. Other candidates who took turns at the mic included Franklin Foil, Barbara Freiberg, Trae Welch and Dr. Leah Cullins, the lone Democratic candidate at the event.
