BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards declined to endorse a candidate in the Louisiana U.S. Senate race Thursday but clearly indicated a preference.

During his ‘Ask the Governor’ radio interview Wednesday on WRKF, Jim Engster asked Edwards about the currently announced Democratic candidates in the race.

Edwards said he is impressed with Luke Mixon and his background but stopped short of fully endorsing the Bunkie native challenging Republican incumbent Senator John Kennedy in his re-election bid.

“I can tell you I’m particularly impressed by the credentials of Luke Mixon. Someone who was educated at the Naval academy, which is hard for me being a West Point graduate, his service to the country, as a fighter pilot, his stand on the issues. I’m attracted to his candidacy,” Edwards said.

During the same interview, Edwards said he was not impressed with a new ad from Gary Chambers, the other Democrat seeking to challenge Kennedy. In the ad, Chambers smokes marijuana.

Governor Edwards signed a bill passed last year decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana possession. If someone is caught with 14 grams or less of marijuana, they will only get a fine instead of jail time. Edwards doesn’t support legalizing recreational marijuana use.

“The imagery of actually smoking marijuana on an internet ad, just not something that I think people should reward him for.”

Kennedy has already announced his run for re-election and has already received the endorsement of former President Donald Trump.

Kennedy has already received the endorsement of former President Donald Trump.

The Louisiana U.S. Senate race is scheduled for November 8, 2022.