BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — State Rep. John Bel Edwards won the endorsement Saturday of the Louisiana Democratic Party in the governor's race, a signal no other major Democrats are expected to launch a campaign for the fall election.
Backing came unanimously from the Democratic State Central Committee, the party's governing body. The endorsement allows the party to shift resources to Edwards' campaign, coordinating message, providing staff support and working on get-out-the-vote efforts in a state where Democrats have been unable to win statewide elections in recent years.
"Now we're unfettered to be able to go in and wholeheartedly support him," said Stephen Handwerk, executive director of the state Democratic Party. "My staff can become part of his team."
Edwards, a Democratic leader in the Louisiana Legislature, used his speech to blast Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal and suggest the GOP contenders in the governor's race — Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle, Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne and U.S. Sen. David Vitter — would continue Jindal's policies.
The Democratic Party endorsed earlier than usual, rallying behind one candidate six months before the election sign-up period. The decision appears to end speculation that well-known New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu would jump into the race.
Some Democrats had worried the entrance of another major contender could split support and make it unlikely a Democratic candidate could reach the runoff in Louisiana's open primary system, in which all candidates run against each other regardless of party.
Handwerk wouldn't describe his talks with any other Democrats who might have been eyeing a gubernatorial candidacy. But he said he believed Edwards, a lawyer and military veteran from Amite, will be the only major Democratic candidate in the race.
"I think it's the sense of the committee if someone was really going to run and wanted to do this and win, they would be in the race by now," Handwerk said.
Landrieu's staff didn't respond to requests for comment Saturday.
The mayor's sister, former U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, spoke to the party leaders via Skype and offered praise for Edwards. She described Edwards as "spectacular in his outreach" and "an exciting candidate," though she stopped short of an endorsement.
Financial and staff support from the party will be a boost to Edwards' campaign, which has lagged behind the GOP campaigns in fundraising over the last year. He ended the year with $746,000 in his campaign account. Angelle had $1.4 million, Dardenne had $1.5 million and Vitter had $3.5 million, and super PACs are raising more to support their candidacies.
With Jindal's approval ratings low in Louisiana, the governor's race is shaping up to have all four candidates running in some fashion against Jindal's record or his national political ambitions. Edwards has been an outspoken critic of Jindal during his time as a lawmaker, which he said separates him from the other candidates.
"Where were the others five, six, seven years ago when he brought us down the path that brought us to the disaster that we have today?" Edwards said. "None of them stood up and said they thought he was wrong. I have to conclude they thought what he was doing was right."
Democrats have struggled in Louisiana elections, most recently losing a U.S. Senate seat. All of Louisiana's statewide elected officials are Republican, and the GOP holds majorities in both houses of the Legislature.
But Edwards downplayed the difficulties in getting elected to statewide office as a Democrat in his home state.
"We've had a disastrous governor named Bobby Jindal, and that's the difference. For those people who think they want to vote Republican, they know that hasn't gotten them anything but trouble. That's the great equalizer going forward," he said.
The Democratic Party on Saturday also endorsed law professor Chris Tyson in the secretary of state's race against Republican incumbent Tom Schedler.