Louisiana re-elected its Democratic governor Saturday in a fresh blow to US President Donald Trump, who campaigned heavily in the state amid the ongoing impeachment investigation into his conduct as president.
The setback comes during one of the most fraught weeks in Trump’s presidency as the House of Representatives staged the probe’s first public hearings.
It also follows Trump’s three visits to the state to stump for Republican challenger Eddie Rispone, a Louisiana businessman.
US media declared incumbent Governor John Bel Edwards the winner by a narrow margin, with 51.3 percent of the vote. Rispone ended the night with 48.7 percent, according to the New York Times.
For Trump, who won Louisiana by 20 percentage points in 2016, Rispone’s defeat marks an embarrassing drubbing, especially for a president who has frequently boasted that his star power is enough to propel Republicans to victory around the country.
Source: Guardian Newspaper
