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'''Ralph Lee Abraham, Jr.''' (born September 16, 1954), is an [[United States|American]] [[physician]] and former [[veterinarian]] from Mangham in Richland Parish, [[Louisiana]], who was elected in 2014 to the [[United States House of Representatives]] for his state's 5th congressional district, which encompasses a large swath of territory between [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]] and [[Baton Rouge]]. He was a [[Republican Party|Republican]] candidate for [[governor]] in the 2019 nonpartisan blanket primary. He finished third with 317,115 votes (24 percent). The primary placed a second Republican, [[Eddie Rispone]], a Baton Rouge [[business]]man who largely self-financed his campaign, into the November 16 runoff election against the incumbent [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], [[John Bel Edwards]], who led the primary with exactly 626,000 votes (46.6 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://710keel.com/congressman-ralph-abraham-is-running-for-governor/|title=Congressman Ralph Abraham is running for governor|author=Erin McCarty|accessdate=December 6, 2018}}</ref><ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 12, 2019.</ref>  

'''Ralph Lee Abraham, Jr.''' (born September 16, 1954), is an [[United States|American]] [[physician]] and former [[veterinarian]] from Mangham in Richland Parish, [[Louisiana]], who was elected in 2014 to the [[United States House of Representatives]] for his state's 5th congressional district, which encompasses a large swath of territory between [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]] and [[Baton Rouge]]. He was a [[Republican Party|Republican]] candidate for [[governor]] in the 2019 nonpartisan blanket primary. He finished third with 317,115 votes (24 percent). The primary placed a second Republican, [[Eddie Rispone]], a Baton Rouge [[business]]man who largely self-financed his campaign, into the November 16 runoff election against the incumbent [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], [[John Bel Edwards]], who led the primary with exactly 626,000 votes (46.6 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://710keel.com/congressman-ralph-abraham-is-running-for-governor/|title=Congressman Ralph Abraham is running for governor|author=Erin McCarty|accessdate=December 6, 2018}}</ref><ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 12, 2019.</ref>  

When Congressman Abraham announced his congressional candidacy, he declared that he would adhere to self-imposed term limits of six years. Sam Hanna, Jr., a Monroe-based journalist, said that the House leadership, "for all practical purposes, had no reason to help him advance in a world where seniority means everything. Yet, Abraham could turn the tables and announce in the very near future that he’d given some thought to all of that yak about term limits and simply declare his intention to remain in the House ..."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hannapub.com/franklinsun/opinion/columns/sam-hanna-jr-big-decision-for-abraham/article_eeef027a-8a26-11e8-b21d-4b47647d3e07.html|author=Sam Hanna, Jr.|publisher=Hannapub.com|date=July 17, 2018|title=Big decision for Abraham|accessdate=July 18, 2018}}</ref> To win his U.S. House seat, Abraham first dispatched the scandal-plagued Republican incumbent Vance Michael McAllister, Sr., and Republican [[Zach Dasher]], a member of the ''[[Duck Dynasty]]'' family who finished third in the primary. Then in the [[general election]], Abraham easily defeated the [[African-American]] Democrat Jamie Mayo, the [[mayor]] of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], 134,612 votes (64.2 percent) to 75,004 (35.8 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/12062014/12062014_23.html|title=Runoff election returns|date=December 6, 2014|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=April 10, 2018}}</ref> He handily defeated fellow Republican Billy Burkette in 2016 to secure his second term as representative.

When Congressman Abraham announced his congressional candidacy, he declared that he would adhere to self-imposed term limits of six years. Sam Hanna, Jr., a Monroe-based journalist, said that the House leadership, "for all practical purposes, had no reason to help him advance in a world where seniority means everything. Yet, Abraham could turn the tables and announce in the very near future that he’d given some thought to all of that yak about term limits and simply declare his intention to remain in the House ..."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hannapub.com/franklinsun/opinion/columns/sam-hanna-jr-big-decision-for-abraham/article_eeef027a-8a26-11e8-b21d-4b47647d3e07.html|author=Sam Hanna, Jr.|publisher=Hannapub.com|date=July 17, 2018|title=Big decision for Abraham|accessdate=July 18, 2018}}</ref> To win his U.S. House seat, Abraham first dispatched the scandal-plagued Republican incumbent Vance Michael McAllister, Sr., and Republican [[Zach Dasher]], a member of the ''[[Duck Dynasty]]'' family of West Monroe who finished third in the primary. Then in the [[general election]], Abraham easily defeated the [[African-American]] Democrat Jamie Mayo, the [[mayor]] of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], 134,612 votes (64.2 percent) to 75,004 (35.8 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/12062014/12062014_23.html|title=Runoff election returns|date=December 6, 2014|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=April 10, 2018}}</ref> He handily defeated fellow Republican Billy Burkette in 2016 to secure his second term as representative.

Abraham has served in the [[United States Coast Guard]] Auxiliary and the Mississippi National Guard. He and his wife, Dianne, have three children.

Abraham has served in the [[United States Coast Guard]] Auxiliary and the Mississippi National Guard. He and his wife, Dianne, have three children.

In April 2019, Abraham released as his key supporters the names of more than one hundred Louisiana officials, most of whom hold minor positions. Two state representatives have endorsed Abraham, including [[Jay Morris]] of Monroe and Paul Hollis, Jr., of Covington. Several district attorneys are Abraham supporters as is the sheriff of Richland Parish, Gary Gilley.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abrahamforgovernor.com/2019/04/10/abraham-rolls-out-over-100-endorsements-from-elected-officials/|title=Abraham rolls out over 100 endorsements from elected officials|publisher=Abrahamforgovernor.com|accessdate=April 12, 2019}}</ref>

In April 2019, Abraham released as his key supporters the names of more than one hundred Louisiana officials, most of whom hold minor positions. Two state representatives have endorsed Abraham, including [[Jay Morris]] of Monroe and Paul Hollis, Jr., of Covington. Several district attorneys are Abraham supporters as is the sheriff of Richland Parish, Gary Gilley.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abrahamforgovernor.com/2019/04/10/abraham-rolls-out-over-100-endorsements-from-elected-officials/|title=Abraham rolls out over 100 endorsements from elected officials|publisher=Abrahamforgovernor.com|accessdate=April 12, 2019}}</ref>

The Louisiana Republican State Executive Committee is expected to recommend only one candidate to challenge Edwards and to urge that the unendorsed candidate(s) withdraw from the race. Polls consistently show the Democrat Edwards leading Rispone and Abraham in his bid for a second term as governor.

The Louisiana Republican State Executive Committee had been expected to recommend only one candidate to challenge Edwards and to urge that the unendorsed candidate(s) withdraw from the race. Instead the party supported both Abraham and Rispone. Polls consistently showed the Democrat Edwards leading Rispone and Abraham in his bid for a second term as governor. Edwards ultimately won reelection, 51-49 percent over Rispone.

On June 27, 2019, Abraham received the support of Republican [[Craig Greene]], a fellow physician from Baton Rouge who in the 2015 general election had crossed party lines to support John Bel Edwards for governor.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/2019/06/27/pscs-craig-greene-endorses-abraham-after-backing-edwards-2015/1582784001/|title=PSC's Craig Greene endorses Abraham after backing Edwards in 2015|publisher=''Monroe News-Star''|date=June 27, 2019|author=Greg Hilburn|accesssdate=June 27, 2019}}</ref>

On June 27, 2019, Abraham received the support of Republican [[Craig Greene]], a fellow physician from Baton Rouge who in the 2015 general election had crossed party lines to support John Bel Edwards for governor.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/2019/06/27/pscs-craig-greene-endorses-abraham-after-backing-edwards-2015/1582784001/|title=PSC's Craig Greene endorses Abraham after backing Edwards in 2015|publisher=''Monroe News-Star''|date=June 27, 2019|author=Greg Hilburn|accesssdate=June 27, 2019}}</ref>