LSU hosted the first gubernatorial debate Thursday, featuring the frontrunners of the race: current Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards and his Republican challengers, U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham and businessman Eddie Rispone.
Questions came from Nexstar Media Group moderators Fred Childers, Jacque Jovic and Chad Sabadie and LSU political communication juniors Sarah Procopio and Justin Franklin via pre-recorded video. The candidates were asked about a variety of topics, including e-cigarettes, the expansion of Medicaid, higher education, abortion and their relationships with President Donald Trump.
Political Communication professor Robert Mann said the format of the debate left little room for meaningful interaction between the candidates.
“The topics were oddly unfocused and seemed random, and the questions were often poorly worded,” Mann said in an email. “And how do you have a statewide debate in Louisiana not talk once about poverty, race or climate change?”
Mann said that a bright spot in the debate was the questions asked by Manship students. The questions asked by Procopio and Franklin were created by Nexstar, and the Reilly Center for Media and Public Affairs recruited
students to pose the questions.
Procopio asked candidates to raise their hands if they would support funding TOPS at its current level, and all three candidates raised their hands.
“I’m glad that there was a TOPS question, and I’m glad that a student asked it,” Procopio said.
Procopio said she would’ve liked to see more student direction given to this debate since it took place on campus. While there was a third student question scheduled at the end of the debate, it wasn’t aired due to time constraints.
“I will say that the debate lacked teeth,” Procopio said. “It had questions about some topics that I wouldn’t necessarily have gotten to. I would’ve liked to see coastal land loss addressed.”
Procopio said replacing the question about e-cigarettes with a question about land loss would have been a good improvement to the debate.
Manship School of Mass Communication dean Martin Johnson felt the debate was a great start to the conversation about the candidates and the race, which culminates with the Oct. 12 primary election.
“I think for students, and for the broader University community, the question about TOPS from Sarah Procopio was certainly one of the most important questions that we saw them deal with,” Johnson said. “I think we saw on display some different philosophies about the role that government can and should play.”
Bassoon performance freshman Leah Espinoza said that the debate raised awareness about the race among student voters, and she hopes more students will vote after seeing what each candidate had to say about topics relevant to students.
“It was a little disappointing that there were no questions asked about education, poverty or even climate change,” Espinoza said. “I thought the most important topic discussed was whether or not they would cut taxes.”