Trump returns to Louisiana, trying to flip governor’s seat

President Donald Trump is testing the strength of his political influence in the face of Washington’s impeachment drama, as he returns to Louisiana on Thursday to try to oust the state’s Democratic governor. Trump is holding his first rally since the beginnings of public hearings in the inquiry.

Although Louisiana is a deep-red state Trump won by 20 percentage points, the gubernatorial contest has reached its final days ahead of Saturday’s election as a tossup. Democrat John Bel Edwards is vying for a second term against little-known Republican political donor Eddie Rispone.

Trump plans a Thursday night rally for Rispone in north Louisiana’s Bossier City. That’s near prime territory to reach out to backers of Republican U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham, the primary’s third-place finisher. Both Edwards and Rispone are targeting Abraham’s voters, knowing those 317,000 people can help decide the race’s outcome. Abraham endorsed Rispone and will appear at the rally with Trump.

President Donald Trump waves as he departs on the South Lawn of the White House, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019, in Washington, for a campaign rally in Louisiana. (AP PhotoAlex Brandon)

Louisiana has the last of three Southern governor’s races this year, all targets of intense interest from the GOP and Trump. While Republicans kept the seat in Mississippi, they lost Kentucky’s governorship — with Republican Matt Bevin conceding the race Thursday.

Smarting from the Kentucky outcome, Trump has turned his focus to Louisiana and defeating Edwards, the Deep South’s only Democratic governor. Thursday’s event will be the president’s third in the state’s gubernatorial competition, with an anti-Edwards event in the primary, and now two pro-Rispone rallies in the runoff.

Rispone, owner of an industrial contracting firm, has spent millions on the race, hitched his candidacy to Trump and hammered a pro-Trump theme ever since.

President Donald Trump walks to Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019, for a short trip to Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and then on to Bossier City, La., for a campaign rally. (AP PhotoPatrick Semansky)

“What Trump has done for our country has been phenomenal. ... The economy is booming in the United States, but it's not booming in Louisiana. We're falling behind,” Rispone said at an event in Baton Rouge. “We want to do for Louisiana what Trump has done for the nation.”

Rick Gorka, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee and the campaign, said the RNC has invested $2 million in the race and has over 60 staffers on the ground working in partnership with the Louisiana state party.

“The reason we have an election on Saturday is because the president went down there and held Gov. Edwards under 50%,” Gorka told reporters ahead of the rally. “So we're in it to win. And Louisiana deserves a governor who's going to be a partner with President Trump.”

President Donald Trump waves as he walks to Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019, for a short trip to Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and then on to Bossier City, La., for a campaign rally. (AP PhotoPatrick Semansky)

Edwards suggests Rispone turns repeatedly to Trump and the national outlook because he can’t stand on the strength of state-specific issues. Rispone has dodged details of how he’d balance the budget with his proposed tax cuts and what he wants to accomplish in a constitutional convention.

Rispone is “trying to nationalize this race because that’s the only shot he has,” Edwards said Thursday at a campaign rally in Shreveport. “He cannot win this race based on Louisiana issues because he hasn’t demonstrated any knowledge about how state government works. He doesn’t have any vision for the state of Louisiana.”

The Democratic incumbent sticks to Louisiana-specific topics, in a sort of “pretend-there’s-no-national-politics” angle to a race that partisans of both stripes want to use as a talking point in 2020.

President Donald Trump walks to board Air Force One for a campaign rally in Bossier City, La., Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019, at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. (AP Photo Evan Vucci)

But Edwards isn’t a traditional Democrat in the national mold. He’s a former Army Ranger who opposes abortion, supports gun rights and talks of his solid working relationship with Trump.

Edwards campaigns on his work with the Republican-led Legislature to stabilize state finances, saying Rispone would return Louisiana to the deficit-riddled ways of unpopular Republican former Gov. Bobby Jindal. And Edwards says Rispone’s plan to “freeze” enrollment in Medicaid expansion would eventually force thousands off health insurance rolls.

Rispone calls Edwards a “tax-and-spend liberal trial lawyer” who is fear-mongering and who doesn’t like the president.

President Donald Trump boards Air Force One for a campaign rally in Bossier City, La., Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019, at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. (AP Photo Evan Vucci)

Vance Gauthier, a 70-year-old contractor and Republican, cast his ballot for Rispone during the early voting period in Jefferson Parish, saying he was “looking for a change” and considered his vote in the state election a show of support for Trump.

“We need a Republican back in the position,” Gauthier said.

But race watchers say Trump’s influence can only stretch so far.

President Donald Trump walks to Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019, for a short trip to Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and then on to Bossier City, La., for a campaign rally. (AP PhotoPatrick Semansky)

“I don’t think Trump’s bringing more to the table than has already been brought into the campaign,” said Michael Henderson, director of Louisiana State University's Public Policy Research Center.

Edwards supporters say Trump’s visits are actually boosting their own chances, helping to turn out black voters and other Democrats who skipped the primary.

Melissa Toler, a 65-year-old retiree who voted early in New Orleans, chose Edwards “because he’s the best candidate, the most qualified, and the most reasonable.” She said Trump’s visits to Louisiana stirred up interest.

President Donald Trump boards Air Force One for a campaign rally in Bossier City, La., Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019, at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. (AP Photo Evan Vucci)

“I’m a registered independent and he whips me up, not in a good way,” Toler said.

In New Orleans and other cities with high concentrations of African American voters, a wave of ads says Rispone’s tight ties with Trump are a reason to vote for Edwards. And while Edwards sidesteps direct criticism of the president, the Louisiana Democratic Party posted ads on Facebook declaring: “If Rispone wins, Trump wins” and asking voters to “keep hate out of Louisiana” by supporting Edwards.

The anti-Trump messaging by outside groups and Edwards’ own grassroots outreach effort to black voters appear to be having an effect. African American turnout during the early voting period jumped significantly above primary levels, a critical piece of Edwards’ strategy to win a second term.

President Donald Trump waves as he walks to Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019, in Washington, to travel to a campaign rally in Louisiana. (AP PhotoAlex Brandon)

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President Donald Trump walks to Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019, in Washington, to travel to a campaign rally in Louisiana. (AP PhotoAlex Brandon)

President Donald Trump boards Air Force One for a campaign rally in Bossier City, La., Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019, at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. (AP Photo Evan Vucci)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will provide Ukraine additional Patriot missiles for its air defense systems as part of a massive $6 billion additional aid package, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Friday.

The missiles will be used to replenish previously supplied Patriot systems. The package also includes more munitions for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, or NASAMS, and additional gear to integrate Western air defense launchers, missiles and radars into Ukraine's existing weaponry, much of which still dates back to the Soviet era.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed the need for Patriots early Friday with the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, a coalition of about 50 countries gathering virtually in a Pentagon-led meeting. The meeting fell on the second anniversary of the group, which Austin said has “moved heaven and earth” since April 2022 to source millions of rounds of ammunition, rocket systems, armored vehicles and even jets to help Ukraine rebuff Russia's invasion.

Zelenskyy said at least seven Patriot systems are needed to protect Ukrainian cities. “We urgently need Patriot systems and missiles for them,” Zelenskyy said. “This is what can and should save lives right now.”

At a Pentagon press conference following the meeting, Austin said the U.S. was working with allies to resource additional Patriot systems but did not commit to sending more U.S. versions. He said he has been speaking one-on-one with a number of his European counterparts in recent days to hash out this issue and others.

“It's not just Patriots that they need, they need other types of systems and interceptors as well,” Austin said. “I would caution us all in terms of making Patriot the silver bullet.”

Austin said he is asking allied nations to “accept a little bit more risk” as they consider what weapons to send to Ukraine. A number of nations have expressed some reluctance to send Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine because most don’t have very many and they belieive they need them for their own defense.

U.S. officials said the aid package will be funded through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which pays for longer-term contracts with the defense industry and means that it could take many months or years for the weapons to arrive. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet made public.

The new funding — the largest tranche of USAI aid sent to date — also includes High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, as well as Switchblade and Puma drones, counter drone systems and artillery.

The Ukraine Defense Contact Group has been meeting about monthly for the past two years and is the primary forum for weapons contributions to Kyiv for the war.

Friday's meeting follows the White House decision earlier this week to approve the delivery of $1 billion in weapons and equipment to Ukraine. Those weapons include a variety of ammunition, such as air defense munitions and large amounts of artillery rounds that are much in demand by Ukrainian forces, as well as armored vehicles and other weapons.

That aid, however, will get to Ukraine quickly because it is being pulled off Pentagon shelves, including in warehouses in Europe.

Gen. CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the $1 billion weapons package will have a key benefit.

“There's some near-term effects,” said Brown, who stood alongside Austin at the Pentagon briefing. “Now the Ukrainians don't necessarily have to ration what they have because they know things are coming out of this package and there will be follow-on packages.”

The large back-to-back aid approvals are the result of a new infusion of about $61 billion in funding for Ukraine that was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden on Wednesday. And they provide weapons Kyiv desperately needs to stall gains being made by Russian forces in the war.

Bitterly divided members of Congress deadlocked over the funding for months, forcing House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, to cobble together a bipartisan coalition to pass the bill. The $95 billion foreign aid package, which also included billions of dollars for Israel and Taiwan, passed the House on Saturday, and the Senate approved it Tuesday.

Senior U.S. officials have described dire battlefield conditions in Ukraine, as troops run low on munitions and Russian forces make gains.

Since Russia’s February 2022 invasion, the U.S. has sent more than $44 billion worth of weapons, maintenance, training and spare parts to Ukraine.

Among the weapons provided to Ukraine were Abrams M1A1 battle tanks. But Ukraine has now sidelined them in part because Russian drone warfare has made it too difficult for them to operate without detection or coming under attack, two U.S. military officials told The Associated Press.

Follow the AP's coverage of Russia's war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, left, looks towards Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. during a press briefing on Friday, April 26, 2024 at the Pentagon in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, left, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown Jr., share a laugh at the start of a press briefing on Friday, April 26, 2024 at the Pentagon in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin speaks during a press briefing on Friday, April 26, 2024 at the Pentagon in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

Sec of Defense Lloyd Austin during a House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Defense budget hearing Fiscal Year 2025 on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, April 17, 2024 in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Davyd Arakhamia, a lawmaker with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Servant of the People party, talks during an interview with Associated Press in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, April 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

FILE - In this image released by the U.S. Department of Defense, German soldiers assigned to Surface Air and Missile Defense Wing 1, fire the Patriot weapons system at the NATO Missile Firing Installation, in Chania, Greece, on Nov. 8, 2017. U.S. officials say the Pentagon is expected to announce that it will provide about $6 billion in long-term military aid to Ukraine. It will include much sought after munitions for Patriot air defense systems and other weapons. (Sebastian Apel/U.S. Department of Defense, via AP, File)