
A recent poll is showing that Governor John Bel Edwards' support has slipped leaving him within the margin of error for the potential of heading into a runoff.
Edwards sits at 52 percent in the latest survey from Verne Kennedy.
UL Lafayette Poli Sci Professor Pearson Cross say that is dangerously close to a highly unpredictable run-off scenario.
“Edwards was in a stronger position a couple of weeks ago before some ads form a couple of his opponents took place," Cross said. "He’s dropped about six points overall.” Favorability has dropped for Edwards from 52 percent in April to 45 percent, as of 2 weeks ago, when the poll was taken.
All the advertising Eddie Rispone has done is apparently paying off. Cross says Rispone is now at 19 percent. That is just 6 point shy of GOP frontrunner Congressman Abraham.
“While his ads were initially ridiculed by some because of their reliance and focus on Donald Trump and Trump’s policies, it appears to be paying off with a portion of the electorate,” Cross added estimating that Rispone has gone up 12 points since the April survey.
Congressman Abraham had an early name recognition advantage and has piled upstate GOP endorsements, but Cross says if he wants to hold off Rispone and make a run-off, he needs to run more ads.
“Congressman Abraham has to be looking around now for additional funding sources, or hoping some outside sources come in and fund his campaign because the threat from Eddie Rispone is a real one,” Cross noted.
Abraham still fares about two points better than Rispone in a hypothetical run-off, but both candidates at this point still would fail to unseat the Governor.