New TV Ad Exposes John Bel Edwards’ “Clueless” Flood Recovery

RGA Right Direction PAC, an organization supported by the Republican Governors Association (RGA), today released its fourth television ad in the Louisiana runoff election. Titled “Clueless,” the ad exposes John Bel Edwards’ sheer incompetence and lack of leadership when Louisiana was faced with an historic natural disaster.

In 2016, when 6.9 trillion gallons of rain led to historic flooding across part of the state, Edwards was caught flat-footed and off guard, and his handling of the crisis only got worse in the months and years ahead. Instead of providing leadership, Edwards admitted to a Congressional committee that he had no idea how many Louisianans were displaced by the floods.

Moving from apparent indifference to outright incompetence, Edwards’ administration awarded the billion-dollar recovery contract to a firm that has donated over $50,000 to Edwards’ campaigns. Rather than getting the job done, and providing recovery assistance to residents most impacted by the flood, Edwards’ campaign donors have failed.

After the state threw out the first contract and started a new bidding process, the Edwards administration awarded the contract to the same firm a second time. Since the contract has been in place, thousands of Louisianans are still waiting to receive recovery funds. Of the more than $1 billion in federal funds allocated for rebuilding efforts, less than half has been distributed.

“It’s been three years since thousands of homes and businesses were left underwater and Louisianans are still looking for leadership from their governor,” said RGA Communications Director Amelia Chassé Alcivar. “Real people are still suffering thanks to the cluelessness and incompetence of Governor Edwards and his campaign donors – it’s time for new leadership in Louisiana.”