The two candidates battling to become Louisiana’s next governor ramped up their attacks at the final debate Monday night, five days before Saturday’s runoff election.
More than 400 people attended the event at the Dunham School in Baton Rouge.
Democratic state Rep. John Bel Edwards continued to attack his opponent, Republican U.S. Sen. David Vitter, over a prostitution scandal that has marred Vitter’s campaign throughout the past year.
Vitter again drew contrasts between his and Edwards’ voting records attempting to dispel notions Edwards is a conservative or moderate, harping on the Democrat’s support for President Barack Obama and “liberal” policies.
The first question of the debate dealt with how the candidates would handle the presence of Syrian refugees in Louisiana.
Two days after Saturday’s attacks in Paris which killed 129 and left more than 350 injured, Jindal issued a statement demanding information from Obama about Syrian refugee placement before issuing an executive order halting any more Syrian refugees from arriving in Louisiana.
Vitter said one of the Paris attackers came into France as a Syrian refugee, and Louisiana faces the same threat as Obama plans to allow 10,000 Syrian refugees into the U.S.
“I’ve criticized President Obama’s policies, I’ve criticized his plans and I’ve said as governor I wouldn’t allow that to happen,” Vitter said. “I have a consistent record of standing up to President Obama, fighting for border security fighting for national security in that regard.”
Edwards denied Vitter’s claims that he supported Obama’s plan for refugee resettlement, saying he supports the halting of refugee placement into Louisiana before touting his service in the armed forces.
“David Vitter is desperate. He will lie, he will distort. It’s what he does,” Edwards said. “It’s who he is because he lacks a moral compass.”
The exchange quickly turned into a heated argument as the candidates ignored moderators’ pleas to move on and attacked one another’s records and positions.
The moderators posed a few questions tailored to each candidate, including a question to Edwards about his “F” grade from the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry.
The LABI failed around 90 legislators this year, Edwards said, as he and others chose to fund higher education and health care in the face of dire revenue shortfalls for the seventh straight year.
Vitter drew contrasts with Edwards’ record, boasting a pro-business platform and high scores from business lobbies.
“That is not just an F. That is being hostile to small business,” Vitter said.
When asked about diminished support from Republicans, Vitter said Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne, who crossed party lines to endorse Edwards on Nov. 5, is not a “real Republican.” He also said early voting, which favored Democrats, was influenced by “huge” Democratic money, pointing to an Edwards party when at a “very adult” New Orleans nightclub.
The exchange again turned to Vitter’s scandals as Edwards said he was at the party with his wife, and Vitter called it an “interesting date night.
“Not as interesting as your date night, Senator,” Edwards retorted.

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Louisiana Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Bel Edwards, center, speaks to reporters after his debate against challenger Sen. David Vitter, R-La., in Baton Rouge, La., Monday, Nov. 16, 2015. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)