WDSU out of New Orleans will be having the first televised governor’s debate featuring all major candidates. The last televised debate by LPB wasn’t attended by David Vitter.

Just as I have previewed the presidential debates, I think a preview of the governor’s debate is in order. After all, we’ll actually be voting this month in the race. Here’s what every candidate needs to do tonight in Louisiana’s largest media market.

Jeremy Odom and Cary Deaton: Why the hell were you two even invited? Who are the two of you? Neither of you have money. Hell, I’m more likely to be governor than either of you. Your task is simple, simply prove why you’re even on the stage. Please give me a reason to not hit the mute button when either of you two are talking.

Jay Dardenne: Right now he’s too conservative for the liberals, too liberal for the conservatives, and too much of a squish for the moderates. Dardenne hasn’t answered the question why should Louisiana elect him governor. Now would be a good time to answer it.

Scott Angelle: He is Cajun, we get that. He’s conservative, we get that. He’s for mom, football, and boudin; we get that. What we don’t get is why should we elect you governor over David Vitter? Now would be a good time to answer it and David Vitter is a secret liberal is not an acceptable answer. I don’t think that can be sold.

David Vitter: He needs to go play with some puppies, listen to some happy music, and have some fun before the debate. Then come to the debate and present a positive agenda for Louisiana. Stay away from the negative attacks on Angelle and Dardenne. He’s the Republican front runner, act like it. Now is a good time to turn around those high negatives.

John Bel Edwards: He’s probably the one guy who would help himself by just showing up and shutting up. He’s pretty much in the runoff unless Dardenne comes after him. No need to talk a whole lot. If he does wind up talking, he might have to explain how he tells progressives that he’s one of them and how he can turn right around and tell conservatives that he’s one of them as well.

This is one of three televised debates across the state. I expect Dardenne and Angelle to come out and try and land shots on Vitter. Dardenne might mix it up a bit with Edwards.

I think Angelle and Dardenne must have strong performances tonight. Vitter needs to have a strong enough performance tonight to hold off Angelle and Dardenne. He needs to also start turning around his high negative numbers.

John Bel Edwards just simply needs to avoid disaster tonight. The votes he would get in metro New Orleans are from the liberals and the blacks. He needs to simply avoid anything that would piss them off.