Long Shot: A Soldier, A Senator, A Serious Sin: An Epic Louisiana Election

by Tyler Bridges

Only in a state whose politics are notoriously wild could a United States senator best known for his involvement in a sex scandal still be considered the odds-on favorite for governor. And only in Louisiana could a small-town lawmaker flip that script with the help of private investigators, a rogue sheriff, a purple party bus, a gaggle of trial lawyers, and an ad blitz questioning the front runner’s choice of “prostitutes over patriots.”

Long Shot is the story of Louisiana’s 2015 race for governor — but the story of John Bel Edwards’ improbable victory over David Vitter holds lessons for candidates and voters in all 50 states. It’s an inconceivable and sometimes hysterical odyssey that unfolds against the unique backdrop of Louisiana’s back roads, bayous, barrooms, and ballrooms.

Tyler Bridges and Jeremy Alford, two veteran political reporters in Louisiana, take readers deep into the inner workings of the Edwards and Vitter campaigns. To document this unforgettable ride, they interviewed more than 100 of the people who cut the deals, launched the attacks, and even played both sides. Clancy DuBos, one of the state’s foremost political analysts, brought his tremendous knowledge to bear as he edited the book.

Long Shot is a can’t-put-it-down romp about the unforgiving terrain of Bayou State politics and the people who are trying to tame it. With never-before-published details on the 2015 race as well as Louisiana’s storied past, this is a must-have addition to any serious political bookshelf.

By Tyler Bridges and Jeremy Alford, with a foreword by James Carville & Mary Matalin

Published by The Lisburn Press. Ebook created by W2G Publishing / Write2Grow LLC


Political Non-fiction

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction

375 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 17, 2016

Reviews

[Vincent Vertuccio · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book, one that managed to lay out the intricacies of Louisana's complex and convoluted political scene in just the right amount of detail to allow a reader from anywhere to understand just what led to John Bel Edwards' election in 2015. After reading this book I feel as if I am personally involved in the political scene of Louisiana. I certainly gained an understanding of just how talented John Bel's campaign staff were and are, and what a feat John Bel's election really was.

[David Joyner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve only ever visited Louisiana but its political characters have captured my imagination since I read Robert Penn Warren in high school. This narrative about an unlikely race for governor delivers some (real life) characters who are hard to forget, from the powerful GOP Senator who is the presumed successor to the governor’s mansion to the former U.S. Army Ranger who’s his unlikely rival. And, of course, Bobby Jindal and a whole bunch of colorful people in between. A fun read with some real political lessons, regardless of where you live.

[Trey Mustian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent inside account of the historic 2015 Louisiana governor 's race from many perspectives and all that led up to it. Extremely well - written and fast-paced. As a bonus, it discusses my favorite journalist at page 235:)

[Adamdaigle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great work here by Jeremy Alford and Tyler Bridges, who worked quickly in getting this project completed. Two things I took away:

-- David Vitter should have addressed his "serious sin" immediately instead of kicking the can down the road. While he sought and was granted forgiveness for his sin by many voters, let's remember one thing -- Vitter committed a crime and got away with it.

-- JBE knew immediately what type of bare-knuckled street fight he would be in once he drew Vitter in the runoff. Instead of letting Vitter go negative first, Edwards dragged him into the gutter and pounded on his character, which was a winning strategy. That left Vitter, who while an effective delegate for Louisiana burned many, many bridges over the years, having to search for supporters amid piles of smoldering ashes.

[Benjamin Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Long Shot provided a clear insight into the Louisiana governor's race for 2015. John Bel Edwards was predicted to lose - comes in the title Long Shot; referring to the huge feat Edwards undertook participating in the race as a Democrat in a Republican-dominated state. There was much that I learned from the book, about Louisiana, Edwards, and his main opponent, David Vitter. The information was thorough and insightful, but the flow could have used improvement.

[Kristen Magee]

Love it!