2019 Gulf Coast Elections Mean Louisiana Is Poised To Remain A Tax-Hiking Outlier

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Incumbent Who Enacted Largest Tax Hike In State History Wins Re-election In Louisiana

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards (D) secured reelection in the Saturday, November 16 general election with 51.3% of the vote, beating Republican businessman Eddie Rispone, a political novice who gave the incumbent governor a run for his money in his first bid for public office.

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Trying to sell a tax hike as a tax cut is a bold move, but Governor Edwards did it and members of the press actually backed him up, as opposed to calling him out on it. With Governor Edwards reelection, Louisiana looks to remain a tax-hiking outlier in the region full of states that have been busy passing rate-reducing tax relief. With Edwards’ narrow victory, Louisiana will continue to have a governor as inclined to raise taxes as neighboring governors are to cut them.

For the next few days pundits will continue attempting to spin Edwards’ reelection as a stain on President Trump’s record. However, such a narrative is not supported by the basic fact that Edwards performed worse electorally in 2019 than in 2015. Lousiana-based political observers, contrary to what New York and Washington-based pundits are saying, will admit that President Trump’s involvement in the race, if anything, most likely helped Eddie Rispone.

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