Just days after a United States Senator from Louisiana announced he will not seek the office of governor against Democrat incumbent John Bel Edwards, a congressional delegate from the Bayou State officially announced his gubernatorial bid on Thursday.
“I’m running for Governor, and I intend to win,” said Congressman Ralph Abraham, M.D. (R-Richland Parish).
Congressman Abraham represents the state’s 5th Congressional District on Capitol Hill. The district, neighboring Evangeline Parish, begins at the Louisiana-Arkansas border in the northeast and stretches west to Ruston and south down to Monroe, Alexandria, and Opelousas. It then jets across the northern part of the Florida Parishes east of the Mississippi River.
The general practice physician described as a conservative Republican, Congressman Abraham was first elected in 2014 and has been a member of the Armed Services Committee where he helped secure federal funding for military installations in the state such as Fort Polk, Barksdale Air Force Base and the Naval Air Station in Belle Chasse.
He also sits on the Agriculture Committee and previously was a member of the Science, Space and Technology Committee and the Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
The congressman also flies on an extensive voluntary basis for the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Civil Air Patrol, and the Pilots for Patients not-for-profit organization and had been a veterinarian, veteran, farmer, and business owner before going to Washington.
Following the news, Governor Edwards released the following statement:
“On Monday, Representative Abraham said he couldn’t launch a campaign for governor because it would distract him from important work on the farm bill, soybean crisis, looming government shutdown, flood insurance expiration and other issues the people of Louisiana have entrusted him to handle on their behalf. None of those issues have been resolved. Now, just a few days later, he’s abandoning those responsibilities along with the congressional office he was re-elected to exactly one month ago. For the sake of the people of Louisiana, it is my hope that he seriously considers whether or not he is capable of running for governor while fulfilling his duties in Washington, D.C.
“I welcome this debate. I’ve got a consistent record of working across the aisle to get things done for Louisiana. Together, we’ve turned a $2 billion budget deficit into a budget surplus. Last year, we reduced the tax burden on the people of Louisiana by $600 million. Our economy is the 12th fastest growing in the country. More people are working in Louisiana than ever before. And we are securing the largest economic development projects in our state’s history. The state and our people are much better off now than they were three years ago, and I look forward to another 5 years of putting the people of Louisiana first.”
The announcement from Congressman Abraham came three days after Senator John Kennedy (R-La.) announced he will not seek the position.
In a statement, Senator Kennedy said in part, “I love being in the United States Senate. I will not be a candidate for Governor in 2019. I will, however, continue to work hard every day in D.C. and Louisiana for jobs, economic growth, cheaper health insurance, a stronger military, and an end to government waste. I am fortunate to sit on powerful Senate committees that provide a venue to do that. It is such an honor to represent the people of Louisiana in the United States Senate. Right now, that’s where I think I can do the most good.”
He added in the statement, “I hope someone runs for governor who understands that Louisiana state government does not have to be a big, slow, dumb, wasteful, sometimes corrupt, spend-money-like-it-was-ditchwater, anti-taxpayer, top down institution. I love Louisiana as much as I love my country, and the people of my state deserve a state government as good as they are.”
The election for governor is set for Saturday, October 19, 2019.
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TONY MARKS/ Associate Editor