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LSU's win over Alabama might have helped re-elect the governor

LSU's win over Alabama last week might have played a role in the governor's re-election. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
LSU's win over Alabama last week might have played a role in the governor's re-election. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

How much does the state of Louisiana love its football? Potentially enough to sway a gubernatorial election.

The state’s Democratic governor, John Bel Edwards, was re-elected Saturday night, beating Republican challenger Eddie Rispone by a slim margin — 51% to 49%, or about 40,000 votes.

A week earlier, No. 2 LSU beat No. 3 Alabama, 46-41, in a defining victory for the program.

Correlation is not causation, but people in politics apparently believe in a link between the two occurrences, according to NBC’s Dave Wasserman:

So, to summarize this sentiment: The state’s premier college football program winning a huge rivalry game over Alabama convinced enough voters that Louisiana was headed in the right direction under Edwards, who has held the post since 2016.

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Leaving politics aside, that is an incredible thought. But football is like religion in SEC country. Edwards admitted that it is easier to do his job when the state’s teams — LSU and the New Orleans Saints — are winning.

“People are just in a better mood,” he told The New York Times.

Orgeron endorsed Edwards

That better mood might have given Edwards the push to win re-election in a nationalized race that saw President Trump campaign hard for Rispone. It also didn’t hurt to have Ed Orgeron, LSU’s football coach, back him. Orgeron introduced Edwards at a fundraiser earlier this year and Edwards returned the favor last week by calling into Orgeron’s radio show.

“I know the state of Louisiana believes in him just like a championship quarterback,” Orgeron said of Edwards.

In fact, Orgeron’s endorsement of Edwards has been criticized by Louisiana Republicans who claim that Orgeron is politicizing LSU football. As an employee of a public university, Orgeron’s boss ostensibly is Edwards.

Look, there are a number of reasons why Louisiana’s gubernatorial election went the way it did. Thinking that a football team winning played a role is silly — but what if ... what if it really did?

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