Sources in the Louisiana Republican Party confirmed Thursday, that President Donald Trump is scheduled to come to Monroe on November 6th.
The President, according to the source, is scheduled to come to Monroe to rally Republican voters to support Eddie Rispone’s bid for governor at 7 p.m. at a Monroe Civic Center Rally.
Rispone is trying to unseat Governor John Bel Edwards as the only Democratic Governor in the South. Rispone has pledged to undo most of Edwards’ pledges including blanket teacher raises and Medicaid Expansion for the working poor.
One Republican organizer told the Free Press “We are excited that the President is coming to Northeast Louisiana, we welcome him.”
Senator-Elect Katrina Jackson said she respects the Office of President of the United States and he is always welcomed to come to Louisiana in his official capacity. She said it is unfortunate however, he would come in a political climate, endorsing a candidate, when Louisiana residents are struggling with a variety of issues including health care and the impact of the President’s national policies on Louisiana.
Ambrose Douzart said the President’s planned visit to Monroe should be a rallying call for all voters to participate in the November 16 election. He said the NAACP cannot endorse candidates in an election, but Medicaid Expansion and other issues important to the poor will be decided on November 16 and the President is usually on the opposite side of poor people’s issues.
He said the President’s visit might motivate many who did not vote in the last election to realize the seriousness of the November 16th governor’s election.
Rispone has said that his first official act as Governor, if elected, will be to roll back the expansion of Medicaid approved by Governor John Bel Edwards four years ago.
Republicans have targeted Northeast Louisiana as a battleground in the governor’s race because Northeast Louisiana solidly voted Rep. Ralph Abraham in the primary. Rispone trashed Abraham and a huge television ad buys which soured North Louisiana Republicans toward Rispone.
Northeast Louisiana voted solidly for Trump for President and Rispone’s has been campaigning on two themes in his gubernatorial bid God and Donald Trump.
Douzart said while the President may be coming to rally Republicans, his presence will also rally Democrats who may have been lulled to sleep in the governor’s race. He said the President will “wake up a sleeping tiger,” referring to Democratic voters.
Jackson, a Democrat, has announced her support for Governor Edwards and urges all Louisiana voters to consider his record as they go to vote, regardless of what President Trump may say about him next week.
