Changes

In August 2018, Kennedy criticized Edwards in regard to criminal justice overhaul. Kennedy said that Edwards advocated a "soft approach" to dangerous prisoners. Kennedy noted that he had warned that early prison releases backed by Edwards would lead to murders: "it was inevitable." Kennedy said that Edwards "just thinks these guys are sick and confused. I think a lot of them are bad." Kennedy sent a letter to President Trump  outlining the senator's opposition to Edwards' criminal justice policies.<ref>{{cite web|url=

In August 2018, Kennedy criticized Edwards in regard to criminal justice overhaul. Kennedy said that Edwards advocated a "soft approach" to dangerous prisoners. Kennedy noted that he had warned that early prison releases backed by Edwards would lead to murders: "it was inevitable." Kennedy said that Edwards "just thinks these guys are sick and confused. I think a lot of them are bad." Kennedy sent a letter to President Trump  outlining the senator's opposition to Edwards' criminal justice policies.<ref>{{cite web|url=

https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/article_d433d0f0-99b7-11e8-accd-27e2a6faf8f9.html|title=U. S. Senator Kennedy, Governor Edwards renew dispute on merits of criminal justice overhaul|date=August 8, 2018|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|author=Will Sentell|accessdate=August 11, 2018}}</ref> [Sheriff]] [[Steve Prator]] of Caddo Parish similarly disagreed with Edwards' criminal justice reforms, approved in a bipartisan fashion by th3e legislature. As the disagreement with Prator escalated, Edwards stopped the pending appointment of Mrs. Prator to a seat on the Red River Waterway board of commissioners formerly held by the late [[Rogers M. Prestridge]] of Shreveport.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/opinion/2018/08/16/gov-edwards-plays-politics-denies-caddo-waterway-commission-seat/1008148002/|title=Gov. Edwards plays politics to deny Caddo Parish a waterway commission seat|author=John E. Settle, Jr.|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date=August 16, 2018|accessdate=August 30, 2018}}</ref> Kennedy has strongly defended Prator in the dispute with Edwards, who named Mike Deville of Rapides Parish to fill the vacancy. Kennedy said that he believes Edwards rejected Carolyn Prator's appointment because of the sheriff's earlier criticism of the governor's justice reforms. Kennedy cited the [[African-American]] Democratic state Senator Gregory Tarver of Shreveport, who was quoted in ''The Baton Rouge Advocate'' as having said that Edwards told him he was rejecting the Carolyn Prator appointment because of her husband's opposition to the criminal justice reforms.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/2018/09/13/kennedy-accuses-edwards-vendetta-against-caddo-sheriff/1291981002/|title=Kennedy accuses Edwards of vendetta against Caddo sheriff

https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/article_d433d0f0-99b7-11e8-accd-27e2a6faf8f9.html|title=U. S. Senator Kennedy, Governor Edwards renew dispute on merits of criminal justice overhaul|date=August 8, 2018|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|author=Will Sentell|accessdate=August 11, 2018}}</ref> [[Sheriff]] [[Steve Prator]] of Caddo Parish similarly disagreed with Edwards' criminal justice reforms, approved in a bipartisan fashion by th3e legislature. As the disagreement with Prator escalated, Edwards stopped the pending appointment of Mrs. Prator to a seat on the Red River Waterway board of commissioners formerly held by the late [[Rogers M. Prestridge]] of Shreveport.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/opinion/2018/08/16/gov-edwards-plays-politics-denies-caddo-waterway-commission-seat/1008148002/|title=Gov. Edwards plays politics to deny Caddo Parish a waterway commission seat|author=John E. Settle, Jr.|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date=August 16, 2018|accessdate=August 30, 2018}}</ref> Kennedy has strongly defended Prator in the dispute with Edwards, who named Mike Deville of Rapides Parish to fill the vacancy. Kennedy said that he believes Edwards rejected Carolyn Prator's appointment because of the sheriff's earlier criticism of the governor's justice reforms. Kennedy cited the [[African-American]] Democratic state Senator Gregory Tarver of Shreveport, who was quoted in ''The Baton Rouge Advocate'' as having said that Edwards told him he was rejecting the Carolyn Prator appointment because of her husband's opposition to the criminal justice reforms.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/2018/09/13/kennedy-accuses-edwards-vendetta-against-caddo-sheriff/1291981002/|title=Kennedy accuses Edwards of vendetta against Caddo sheriff

|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|author=[[Greg Hilburn]]||accessdate=September 16, 2018}}</ref>

|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|author=[[Greg Hilburn]]|accessdate=September 16, 2018}}</ref>

Despite his previous criticisms of Governor Edwards, Kennedy announced on December 3, 2018, that he would not run for governor in the nonpartisan blanket primary in 2019, when Edwards won his second term. For months earlier, Kennedy had been mentioned as a prospective gubernatorial candidate. His decision leaves only the [[Baton Rouge]] Republican businessman Eddie Rispone and [[U.S. Representative]] [[Ralph Abraham]] of Richland Parish in the race to unseat Edwards.<ref>{{cite web|url=

Despite his previous criticisms of Governor Edwards, Kennedy announced on December 3, 2018, that he would not run for governor in the nonpartisan blanket primary in 2019, when Edwards won his second term. For months earlier, Kennedy had been mentioned as a prospective gubernatorial candidate. His decision leaves only the [[Baton Rouge]] Republican businessman Eddie Rispone and [[U.S. Representative]] [[Ralph Abraham]] of Richland Parish in the race to unseat Edwards.<ref>{{cite web|url=