NONPARTISAN CANDIDATE GUIDE: 2019 LOUISIANA GOVERNOR’S RACE

Abortion: Mostly ban or mostly legal?

Abraham – Ban. Co-sponsored Life at Conception Act.

Bel Edwards – Ban. Signed bill to ban abortions once fetal heartbeat is detected.

Rispone – Ban. Is “pro-life, pro-God, and pro-family.”

Climate Change: Should government limit the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere?

Abraham – Voted in Congress against reducing carbon-dioxide emissions from power plants. voted for resolution against a carbon tax.

Bel Edwards – Unclear. Climate change “has to inform a lot of things we do in the state of Louisiana to prepare for disasters in the future.” Has not called for limits.

Rispone – No position found.

Criminal Justice: Support 2017 reforms that supported incarceration alternatives, reduced prison terms for those who can be safely supervised outside, and removed felon re-entry barriers?

Abraham – Oppose. Also voted against related federal bill. Charges that “repeat violent offenders have been released early, and committed new violent crimes.”

Bel Edwards – Support. Played major role in enacting them.

Rispone – No position found.

Economy: Support Trump tariffs on Chinese steel and other products?

Abraham – Yes. On agriculture, “there’s going to be some short-term pain, but the long-term benefits are going to be worth it.”

Bel Edwards – No. Says, “we’re seeing the negative effects these tariffs coming down from Washington will have on our economy.”

Rispone – No position found.

Education: Increase funding for K-12 education?

Abraham – Unclear. Co-sponsored  terminating  Department of Education, but says would increase funding for early-childhood education.

Bel Edwards – Yes. Signed state budget that included pay raise for teachers and other staff. Looking at “new sources” of revenue for early education.

Rispone – Yes. Through private school choice programs. Wants any teacher raises tied to individual teachers’ performances.

Education: Support expansion of charter schools or provide vouchers or tax breaks to parents to send their children to private schools with public money?

Abraham – Yes. Supports a “robust…statewide school choice plan,” including charter schools.

Bel Edwards – No. Opposes for-profit charter schools. Called Louisiana state voucher program “hastily conceived” and called for its overhaul.

Rispone – Yes. Use tax dollars to let parents send their children to Christian schools, or charter schools—or for home schooling.

Education: Increase state funding for higher education and financial aid for students?

Abraham – Supports investment in distance learning. Campaign website lists NSF grants received by LA schools. But these aren’t determined by Congress.

Bel Edwards – Yes. Proposed 2019-2020 school state budget includes a $47 million increase for higher education. Called for increases in Louisiana’s TOPS scholarship program.

Rispone – No position found.

Environment: Force oil companies to pay for restoration of damaged coastal wetlands?

Abraham – No. Says Edwards is waging “war on our oil and gas industry.”

Bel Edwards – Yes. Supported parishes suing for paying for restoration costs of Coastal Master Plan.

Rispone – No. “Lawsuit abuse is killing thousands of jobs.”

Gay Marriage: Support gay marriage?

Abraham – No. “I believe in the traditional definition of marriage—one man, one woman.”

Bel Edwards – No. But will enforce as “law of the land.” Issued executive order banning discrimination against LQBT community.

Rispone – No position found.

Gun Control: Support more restrictive gun control legislation?

Abraham – No. Voted against  requiring universal background checks. Opposes bump stock  restrictions.

Bel Edwards – Mixed. Supports 2^nd Amend., but supports stronger background checks, banning bump stocks; raising age to buy semi-automatic rifles.

Rispone – No. Wants to “stand up to the radical Left and their gun grabbing agenda.”

Healthcare: Support or Repeal Obamacare (ACA)? Accept ACA’s Medicaid expansion that Gov. Edwards initiated? 

Abraham – Voted to repeal ACA.  Favors replacement. Wouldn’t undo Louisiana Medicaid expansion, but get it “under control.”

Bel Edwards – Strongly supports ACA.  Expanded Louisiana’s Medicaid to 500,000 low-income participants by executive order.

Rispone – No statements found on ACA. Disagrees with Medicaid expansion. Limit Medicaid to low-income people who qualify.

Marijuana: Legalize or decriminalize legalize marijuana? 

Abraham – No on recreational.  Current medical marijuana law OK, but don’t expand.

Bel Edwards – No on recreational. Expand medical marijuana qualifying conditions.

Rispone – No on recreational. Skeptical about medical marijuana; wants more information.

Minimum Wage: Raise the minimum wage?

Abraham – No. Increasing Federal minimum wage would “cost the US economy tens of billions of dollars.”

Bel Edwards – Yes. “Supports a modest but meaningful increase to Louisiana’s minimum wage” from $7.25 to $9.00 an hour.

Rispone – No position found.

Renewable Energy: Support government subsidies for renewable energy?

Abraham – No. End wind energy tax credit. Opposed Pentagon paying above-market rate for renewable energy.

Bel Edwards – Yes. Prime initiative supported has been pilot for carbon recapture methanol plant.

Rispone – No position found.

Taxes: Support President Trump’s tax cuts? 

Abraham – Yes. Voted for Trump tax cuts. “Will lead to a more prosperous America for all.”

Bel Edwards – Mixed. Supports Opportunity Zones Program. Amend penalties on privately held agriculture companies and taxes on families of fallen U.S. service members.

Rispone – Yes. “In 2017, Donald J. Trump implemented historic tax cuts that produced real results for the people of Louisiana.”

Taxes: Support increased/decreased taxes on specific constituencies, like on the wealthy?

Abraham – No to “raising any taxes.” Eliminate federal estate tax. Across-the-board state corporate tax decrease.

Bel Edwards – Unclear. Negotiated with legislature for sales tax increase to address state deficits. Limits on Louisiana’s industrial tax break program.

Rispone – No on increasing. “We’re not going to raise taxes.” Change state constitution so tax hikes are voted on by the general public.

Voting Rules: Support stricter voting rules such as voter ID requirements or reduced registration times, even if they prevent some people from voting?

Abraham – Probable yes. Voted against Democratic HR 1 act  that would expand voter registration & voting access & limit removing voters from voter rolls.

Bel Edwards – Mixed. Supports requiring voters to have ID, proof of citizenship, and “good reason” for mail voting. Signed law restoring felon voting rights after five years.

Rispone – No position found.