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|party=[[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Governor|gubernatorial]] candidate in Louisiana, 2019

|party=[[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Governor|gubernatorial]] candidate in Louisiana, 2019

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'''Edward Lee Rispone''', known as '''Eddie Rispone'''(pronounced RISPONY) (born January 21, 1949),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/eddie-rispone/e720917170998|title=Eddie Risone|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=December 8, 2018}}</ref> a [[business]]man from the capital city of [[Baton Rouge]], [[Louisiana]], who is the [[Republican Party|Republican]] choice to face [[Governor]] [[John Bel Edwards]], a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], in the [[Governor|gubernatorial]] runoff election set for for November 16, 2019. In the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 12, 2019, he edged out fellow Republican [[U.S. Representative]] [[Ralph Abraham]] of Louisiana's 5th congressional district, a medical doctor from Richland Parish. Edwards polled exactly 626,000 (47 percent) in the primary to Rispone's 368,318 (27 percent), and Abraham's 317,115 (24 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 12, 2019.</ref>

'''Edward Lee Rispone''', known as '''Eddie Rispone'''(pronounced RISPONY) (born January 21, 1949),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/eddie-rispone/e720917170998|title=Eddie Risone|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=December 8, 2018}}</ref> a [[business]]man from the capital city of [[Baton Rouge]], [[Louisiana]], who is the [[Republican Party|Republican]] choice to face [[Governor]] [[John Bel Edwards]], a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], in the [[Governor|gubernatorial]] runoff election set for for November 16, 2019. In the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 12, 2019, he edged out fellow Republican [[U.S. Representative]] [[Ralph Abraham]] of Louisiana's 5th congressional district, a medical doctor from Richland Parish. Edwards polled exactly 626,000 (47 percent) in the primary to Rispone's 368,318 (27 percent), and Abraham's 317,115 (24 percent).<ref names=primaryreturns>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 12, 2019.</ref>

Republican state Senator Sharon Hewitt of Slidell in St. Tammany Parish had indicated that she was considering a gubernatorial campaign too but chose to run instead for the state Senate and potentially to seek to succeed [[Moderate Republican]] [[John Alario]] as the state Senate President. Hewitt vowed support for either Rispone or Abraham in the primary.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/2019/04/11/breaking-sen-hewitt-wont-run-governor/3438834002/|title=Sen. Hewitt won't run for Louisiana governor 'for now'|author=[[Greg Hilburn]]|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date=April 11, 2019|accessdate=April 12, 2019}}</ref>

Republican state Senator Sharon Hewitt of Slidell in St. Tammany Parish had indicated that she was considering a gubernatorial campaign too but chose to run instead for the state Senate and potentially to seek to succeed [[Moderate Republican]] [[John Alario]] as the state Senate President. Hewitt vowed support for either Rispone or Abraham in the primary.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/2019/04/11/breaking-sen-hewitt-wont-run-governor/3438834002/|title=Sen. Hewitt won't run for Louisiana governor 'for now'|author=[[Greg Hilburn]]|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date=April 11, 2019|accessdate=April 12, 2019}}</ref>

Rispoone and his brother in the late 1980s founded Industrial Specialty Contractors, which has grown into one of the largest such firms in the nation. The firm is a 15-time national award winner and has also received numerous local awards of excellence. Rispone has been since 1978 a promoter of workforce development. “Training is key to our community and to our companies. The better prepared our workforce is, the better our local companies perform," he said.<ref name=asg>{{cite web|url=https://www.inregister.com/article/eddie-rispone-a-person-of-character|title=Eddie Rispone -- a person of character|publisher=Inregister.com|author=Ashley Sexton Gordon|accessdate=December 8, 2018}}</ref>  

Rispoone and his brother in the late 1980s founded Industrial Specialty Contractors, which has grown into one of the largest such firms in the nation. The firm is a 15-time national award winner and has also received numerous local awards of excellence. Rispone has been since 1978 a promoter of workforce development. “Training is key to our community and to our companies. The better prepared our workforce is, the better our local companies perform," he said.<ref name=asg>{{cite web|url=https://www.inregister.com/article/eddie-rispone-a-person-of-character|title=Eddie Rispone -- a person of character|publisher=Inregister.com|author=Ashley Sexton Gordon|accessdate=December 8, 2018}}</ref>  

In 2014, Rispone was a prime mover behind the failed effort to incorporate the St. George community in East Baton Rouge Parish.<ref name=breport/> The incorporation, however, was approved five years later in the same election in which Rispone was placed in a runoff with Edwards.

In 2014, Rispone was a prime mover behind the failed effort to incorporate the St. George community in East Baton Rouge Parish.<ref name=breport/> The incorporation, however, was approved five years later in the same election in which Rispone was placed in a runoff with Edwards. Supporters ofr incorporation polled 17,422 votes (54 percent) to 14,871 (46 percent).<ref name=primaryreturns/>

In January 2018, Rispone established a non-profit organization called Baton Rouge Families First, which seeks to empower lower and middle-income families through the encouragement of "education reform, promoting quality jobs through proactive economic development" and support for "initiatives that strengthen the family structure.” The group was formed in direct challenge to another organization, Together Baton Rouge, a broad-based community organization that proposes public policies to assist the low-income population. Rispone said that Together Baton Rouge has failed to emphasize morals, virtues, independence, and family life—the bedrock of a sound society. Instead it seems to many Together Baton Rouge would rather divide the city using [[socialist]], radical tactics and pushing a national agenda.”<ref name=breport>{{cite web|url=https://www.businessreport.com/article/eddie-rispone-creates-nonprofit-take-together-baton-rouge|title=Eddie Rispone creates nonprofit to take on Together Baton Rouge|author=Stephanie Riegel|date=January 22, 2018|accessdate=Dercember 10, 2018}}</ref>

In January 2018, Rispone established a non-profit organization called Baton Rouge Families First, which seeks to empower lower and middle-income families through the encouragement of "education reform, promoting quality jobs through proactive economic development" and support for "initiatives that strengthen the family structure.” The group was formed in direct challenge to another organization, Together Baton Rouge, a broad-based community organization that proposes public policies to assist the low-income population. Rispone said that Together Baton Rouge has failed to emphasize morals, virtues, independence, and family life—the bedrock of a sound society. Instead it seems to many Together Baton Rouge would rather divide the city using [[socialist]], radical tactics and pushing a national agenda.”<ref name=breport>{{cite web|url=https://www.businessreport.com/article/eddie-rispone-creates-nonprofit-take-together-baton-rouge|title=Eddie Rispone creates nonprofit to take on Together Baton Rouge|author=Stephanie Riegel|date=January 22, 2018|accessdate=Dercember 10, 2018}}</ref>