A new poll on the Louisiana governor’s race, funded by the Nexstar Media Group, has Governor Edwards receiving 41 percent of the vote, Republican Congressman Ralph Abraham 24 percent, and GOP businessman Eddie Rispone at 16 percent.
John Couvillon with JMC Analytics and Polling says the race appears headed to a run-off.
“You still have a pretty fair amount of undecided voters, part of which is being taken away by the candidacy another Democrat by the name of Omar Dantzler.” said Couvillon.
Sixteen percent of those polled are undecided. Couvillon says most of the undecided voters are African-Americans and Republicans.
Couvillon polled the governor’s race in April and he says Rispone has seen his support grow because of an aggressive media campaign. He says Edwards has also seen his support increase among white Democrats, white Independents and even Republicans.
“His messaging on his re-election campaign, you don’t hear a single mention of him being a Democrat and I do think that striking a bipartisan tone does attract some voters,” said Couvillon.
Couvillon says the two main questions in this governor’s race are: can Edwards gain additional support from undecideds and can Rispone catch Abraham and get in a November run-off with the incumbent?
“You have to remember that Eddie Rispone has spent several million dollars to cut the gap in half, the question is can he accelerate that closing with early voting almost a week away,” said Couvillon.
Early voting for the October 12 election is set to begin September 28.