Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne, one of three Republican opponents of Democrat John Bel Edwards in the governor's race primary, crossed party lines Thursday (Nov. 5) to endorse Edwards over Republican U.S. Sen. David Vitter.
"The Republican brand has been damaged," Dardenne said in making his announcement. "David Vitter will further damage that brand."
Dardenne made his endorsement at "Free Speech Alley" in front of the student union on the campus of LSU in Baton Rouge. Dardenne served as president of LSU's student government when he was in law school.
It was not clear how much the support of Dardenne -- who finished fourth in the primary with 15 percent of the vote -- would have on voters in the Nov. 21 runoff, but his announcement sent ripples through the state's political community. It also was another boost in momentum for Edwards, who led the primary with 40 percent of the vote to Vitter's 23 percent. Republican Scott Angelle was third with 19 percent.
Dardenne initially indicated he wouldn't offer an endorsement in the runoff, and it was clear he was not going to back Vitter with any sincerity.
Dardenne and Angelle both were the subject of withering political attacks during the primary launched by Vitter's campaign and the super PACS supporting him. Angelle struck back hard, and Dardenne complained bitterly about the ads during the last two weeks of the campaign during debates before running an ad criticizing Vitter in the last days of the campaign.
Edwards said Dardenne "did not deserve the treatment he got from Vitter"
Endorsing a Democrat in a high-stakes general election carries significant risk for the Republican Dardenne's future political career, particularly if Vitter is ultimately elected governor. But Dardenne has said he has no plans to run for political office beyond his campaign for governor.
Vitter had started the election cycle as a heavy favorite, but post-primary polls have shown him trailing Edwards by double digits.
Vitter's campaign announced the endorsement on Wednesday of former Gov. Mike Foster. Foster served two terms as governor, from 1996 to 2004. Foster did not endorse in the primary.
