Back on the campaign trail, Trump rails against impeachment while rallying votes for Louisiana governor candidate

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump urged supporters in Monroe, Louisiana, Wednesday night to cast their ballot early for Republican businessman Eddie Rispone, who is challenging Democratic incumbent Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards in a Nov. 16 runoff election.

"I'm here for early voting," Trump said before hinting he planned to return next week to Louisiana, a state he won by nearly 20 points in 2016, to stump for Rispone. The trip would be Trump's third trip to the state in a month.

In remarks that last more than an hour, Trump railed against what he called the "deranged, delusional, destructive, and hyper-partisan impeachment witch hunt" by House Democrats. He warned they are becoming "increasingly totalitarian" by "suppressing dissent, defaming the innocent, eliminating due process, staging show trials and trying to overthrow American democracy to impose their socialist agenda."

Trump said the impeachment inquiry would benefit him in his re-election bid, and decried a whistleblower who launched the investigation against him over a July 25 phone call in which he asked the Ukrainian president dig up political dirt on Democrats.

Trump read out a 2017 tweet from one of the lawyers representing the whistleblower, Mark Zaid, who was reacting to Trump's dismissal of Acting Attorney General Sally Yates at the time. The tweet, which resurfaced in a Fox News story earlier Wednesday, referenced a "coup" and said "impeachment would follow." Trump has accused Democrats of plotting to illegally remove him from office.

In an emailed statement, Zaid said: "I have zero Democrat ties. In the time since that tweet was posted, I've probably represented more Republicans, including [White House] officials, than Democrats."

"This is nothing more than the continuing partisan deflection to desperately avoid discussing the substance of my client's whistleblower complaint," he added.

Rispone, a wealthy Baton Rouge businessman, took the stage alongside Trump to declare Louisiana "Trump country." Republican Sens. Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy also joined Trump on stage to echo Rispone's declaration for the president.

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"With your help we can make it Rispone country," Cassidy said as the crowd cheered.

Kennedy defended the president against the impeachment inquiry, slamming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for launching the probe.

"I don't mean any disrespect but it must suck to be that dumb," he said of Pelosi.

Among the guests Trump brought on stage were Duck Dynasty stars Willie and Phil Robertson.

"If you are pro-God and pro-American and pro-gun and pro-duck hunting. That's all I want," Phil Robertson said.

Tuesday night marks Trump's second campaign rally this week following his Monday night appearance in Lexington, Kentucky, in support of Republican Gov. Matt Bevin, who appears to have fallen short in Tuesday's gubernatorial race.

Trump told the Lexington crowd on Monday that losing the governor's race would send "a really bad message," but he quickly pointed out on Twitter Tuesday night that every other Republican candidate seeking statewide office in Kentucky won their race. Democratic state Attorney General Andy Beshear led Bevin by a few thousand votes with 100% of precincts reporting, but the incumbent governor refused to concede. Bevin's campaign on Wednesday formally requested an official recanvass of the election results.

He campaigned on the eve of the Oct. 12 primary election in Lake Charles, calling on supporter to vote for Rispone or GOP Rep. Ralph Abraham in an effort to prevent Edwards from getting at least 50% of the vote to force a runoff. Edwards got 46% of the vote while Rispone took 27%, setting the stage for the the Nov. 14 runoff.

Trump also has cut a campaign commercial for Rispone, calling him “a fantastic man, a great success” and boasting that “everything he’s touched has turned to gold.”

More than 40,000 people requested tickets for Wednesday night's rally at the Monroe Civic Center, but the arena can only hold between 7,500 and 10,000 people. Independent forecasters such as Cook Political Report have described the Louisiana race as a tossup.

He also plans to attend Saturday's LSU-Alabama game in Tuscaloosa, Ala., a battle of 8-0 teams pursuing college football's national championship. Trump mentioned LSU's fine quarterback, but did not cite him by name (Joe Burrow).

Trump has stumped for several GOP candidates in recent weeks in an effort to push them over finish line in off-year elections as both Republicans and Democrats watch for warning signs ahead of next year's presidential election.

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The president also suggested his rally last week in Tupelo, Mississippi, for Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves "moved the numbers" in the state's governor race and handed Reeves a win over Democratic Attorney General Jim Hood. Republicans in the Magnolia State will hold all eight statewide offices for the first time since Reconstruction.

But Democrats emerged victorious Tuesday after flipping Virginia's state Senate and House of Delegates, giving them control of both the legislature and the governor's office for the first time in more than two decades.

Contributing: Bonnie Bolden, Monroe News Star

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump holds rally in support of Louisiana GOP candidate Eddie Rispone