Louisiana Democrat John Bel Edwards Brings In Team Hillary for Backup

Louisiana Democrat Gov. John Bel Edwards has hired a 2016 Hillary Clinton campaign alumnus to help increase Edwards’ voter turnout as the Democrat moves into the general election.

According to a campaign email obtained by Breitbart News, Edwards’ campaign has hired Scott Arceneaux, a veteran political activist, to focus on campaign turnout.

Edwards previously hired Arceneaux for the 2015 election runoff against then-Sen. David Vitter (R-LA). Edwards also served as a superdelegate for Hillary Clinton between 2015 and 2019. The Clinton campaign brought in Arceneaux to campaign against then-candidate Donald Trump.

Arceneaux has faced sharp criticism in the past.

Leslie Wimes, the founder of the Democratic African American Women’s Caucus (DAAWC), wrote in 2015 that Arceneaux undermined black women in Florida when he was the executive director of the Florida Democratic Party.

“You have to be aware of the underhanded tactics used by Scott Arceneaux to undermine black women in this state. If not, just ask the Association of State Democratic Chairs,” Wimes wrote in an open letter to Hillary Clinton in 2015. “They know all about it. Oh wait, that has yet to come out — but it’s coming.”

The Florida Saint Peters Blog called Arceneaux in 2017 the “Eddie Mush of Florida politics,” contending that everything “he touched turned to mush.”

The Florida blog noted that Arceneaux failed to deliver Clinton Florida during the 2016 presidential election, as well as failed to help Andrew Gillum win Florida’s recent gubernatorial election.

Edwards’ hiring of Arceneaux arises as a recent poll found that Republican businessman and GOP gubernatorial nominee Eddie Rispone has tied with Edwards one month before the November 16 election.

A survey conducted by We Ask America found that both Edwards and Rispone have 47 percent support of Louisiana voters.

“While still well-regarded with voters, Edwards sits identical to the percentage he received in the primary. Rispone, however, has quickly moved to consolidate the Republican base, and with the national spotlight shining bright on Louisiana, President Trump’s stellar job approval with Louisianans will only serve to help Rispone in the sprint to the runoff next month,” the summary of the survey wrote.

“Rispone has quickly moved to secure 80% of self-identifying Republicans and, perhaps more importantly, 85% of former Abraham supporters,” the survey wrote of Rispone. “Rispone, like Edwards, also enjoys a positive image in voter’s minds with a 49% having a favorable opinion of him versus 38% having an unfavorable one.”

“The Governor of Louisiana, John Bel Edwards, has done a poor job. NOW HE IS IN A RUNOFF WITH A GREAT REPUBLICAN, @EddieRispone,” Trump wrote of Rispone in October. “Thank you, Louisiana! 66% down to 47% after I explained what a bad job the Governor was doing.” 

The Governor of Louisiana, John Bel Edwards, has done a poor job. NOW HE IS IN A RUNOFF WITH A GREAT REPUBLICAN, @EddieRispone. Thank you Louisiana! 66% down to 47% after I explained what a bad job the Governor was doing.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 13, 2019