“We gave it a great effort. I would ask that you congratulate both John Bel Edwards and Senator Vitter, on moving forward,” Scott Angelle said, as he conceded the governor’s primary, after coming in third Saturday.
John Bel Edwards, who topped the voting with 40-percent, opened his arms – figuratively and literally – to Angelle and fourth-place finisher, Jay Dardenne.
“I’ve developed a true affection for Jay Dardenne and Scott Angelle. They both ran tremendous races,” Edwards said to his supporters, who cheered in agreement.
“They are good public servants, decent men, and I like them an awful lot. I want to reach out to them right now and tell them we’ve got room for them. Come on over!“ Edwards said, earning the raucous approval of the crowd.
Second-place finisher David Vitter acknowledged Angelle and Dardenne, though with less enthusiasm from his campaign party-goers.
“I also want to thank Scott Angelle and Jay Dardenne for their dedicated public service and competitive spirit,” Vitter said, earning polite applause.
Edwards was upbeat throughout his victory speech, even as he looked ahead to the runoff.
“I want to invite all the voters out there, who didn’t vote for me tonight, whether they voted for Scott or Jay or - quite frankly - whether they voted for David Vitter; I want to invite them to join our effort. We cannot afford to get this one wrong.”
Vitter, however, launched an immediate attack.
“Voting for John Bel Edwards would be the same as voting to make Barack Obama governor of Louisiana, and put those policies in Baton Rouge,” Vitter declared, as the crowd jeered and booed both Edwards and Obama.
The next four weeks will undoubtedly get uglier than the last few weeks leading up to the primary have been.
But let’s let Jay Dardenne have the last word — of hope.
“I hope whatever happens, everybody in this state will recognize that they’ve got to all pull together and they’ve got to all be a part of the solutions that we’re looking for.”
The runoff election is November 21.