Don't look for a debate between the two Louisiana gubernatorial candidates anytime soon, if at all.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Eddie Rispone has so far not agreed to participate in any run-off debates or forums with Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards before the November 16th election.
According to UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross, Rispone's momentum and message is all he needs right now.
"'Why would I do a debate? I’ve broken through with Louisiana voters, they like my message which I’ve gotten through to them on social media and all kinds of paid advertising, and I made it into the run-off'." Cross profers Rispone's thinking.
The Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce hoped to have a candidate forum tomorrow, but only Edwards has agreed to attend.
Governor Edwards says he’ll debate Rispone, and has RSVP’d to the October 30th Louisiana Public Broadcasting run-off debate. Cross says Edwards has good reason to want a public showdown.
"Governor Edwards has become, although he was not originally, a fairly skilled speaker," Cross says. "He (Edwards) certainly has a record that he has learned how to defend, and Eddie Rispone is not a skilled public speaker."
Because of Rispone’s momentum and Edwards’ public speaking skill, Cross does not expect there to be a run-off debate between the two.
A recent poll shows the two candidates tied 47 to 47 percent.
"The thing about setting up a debate is that it takes a while to set one up, it’s not something that you do on the spur of the momen," says Cross. "We don’t have that long until the run-off, so if they are going to set up a debate we will probably hear about it in the next week or so."