LAFAYETTE — During the final two days of early voting, the gubernatorial candidates are making a push in the Acadiana area to get sway voters their way.
Governor John Bel Edwards will be discussing education and veterans affairs on the campaign trail Friday. He will meet with veterans, educators, and students in Ville Platte, Opelousas, Lafayette, and New Iberia. While in Lafayette, Edwards will visit the campus of the University of Louisiana.
Eddie Rispone does not have any announced campaign stops today. However, members of the Louisiana Republican Party will be going door-to-door Saturday to campaign for him. According to the Eventbrite volunteer registration page, the first 100 volunteers to sign up will get tickets to President Donald Trump's Bossier City rally scheduled for next Wednesday.
Despite the Acadiana region's staunch conservatism, Edwards carried the area during the October primary election. In the parishes that comprise the Third Congressional District plus St. Landry Parish, Edwards pulled in 37 percent of the vote while Rispone finished in third place at 28.3 percent--4.4 percentage points behind Congressman Ralph Abraham. Also of note: Rispone did not win any of the parishes in the region, with Edwards and Abraham taking five parishes each. In Lafayette Parish, Abraham edged out Edwards by 125 votes--24,744 to 24,619. Rispone finished more than 8,000 votes behind both, tallying 16,442 ballots.
Early voting continues today and tomorrow. Polls are open each day from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. To find your local early voting location, go to geauxvote.com.
