Longtime lurker here. (No, not working for any campaign.)

I think Rispone sealed the deal tonight. Was impressed with the way he avoided the "moderators'" BS attempt to nail him on the Trump/morals question and with his forcefulness in going after his opponents. (Yes, they are BOTH his opponents because of our jungle-primary system. If you don't like that, well, neither do I; both this year and 2015 ought to be telling conservatives loud and clear that it's long past time to scrap this ridiculous Edwin Edwards-era system and go back to party primaries like nearly every other state.)

Of course Rispone knows the difference between the FAA and the FCC. I'm less concerned with that particular on-stage brain fart than I am with the fact that Abraham doubled down tonight on suggesting that he'd be open to a new "tax-neutral" gas tax. In those words, even.

There WILL be a runoff. Only in Democrat dreams does JBE avoid one. I'm betting he gets 45% on Saturday and is going to be in a world of hurt in November. But I think that Eddie Rispone is the only Republican in this who seems willing and able to fire everything at JBE. You can think whatever you like about his ads, but it's undeniable that he's defied the conventional wisdom from just a few months ago, back when he was polling in single digits, that he was an unknown, also-ran little runt without a chance in hell of making a runoff, much less winning.

Well, this little runt fights to win and doesn't accept being told what CAN'T be done. I like that a lot. Louisiana desperately needs someone like this on the good guys' side.

I don't have anything against Ralph Abraham. He seems to be a good man, and if he does end up as the one taking on JBE he'll have my support. But there's a reason his campaign never really took off -- I simply do not see in him a candidate with the kind of fire, guts and determination necessary to go in there and win this thing. Rispone's got that fire, and that's what it's going to take to put away the most destructive governor of my 41 years.

The future of Louisiana and of our kids and grandkids is far bigger than our own egos and anger over who said what in which ad. Eddie Rispone's my guy on Saturday, and I can't wait to go into the booth and punch that button for him. But whatever happens on Saturday, John Bel Honor Code is NOT my guy in November. I believe Louisiana conservatives are going to unite next week, and JBE is shite-ing his pants because I think he believes it too. After all the damage he's done to the working men and women of this state, we're still here and we're about to let his honorless arse know it.