President Trump coming to Lake Charles Friday to rally for GOP candidates.

President Donald Trump announced Sunday he is heading to Lake Charles Friday to campaign for the two major Republican candidates for Governor of Louisiana.

In a Tweet, the President said his rally will be aimed at keeping current Governor John Bel Edwards, the Deep South’s only Democratic governor, below 50 percent in Saturday’s election and “force a runoff.”

Recently published polls show Edwards close to the number he needs to win the election without a runoff.

Results of a new KALB/Gray Media poll on the governor’s race will be released Monday.

Friday's rally is set for 7 p.m. at the James E. Sudduth Coliseum.

The rally appears to be part of a strategy built by Republican leadership to boost support for both GOP Gubernatorial candidates, Eddie Rispone and Ralph Abraham, without explicitly throwing support behind either one.

Vice President Mike Pence played his part in that strategy by hosting a rally in New Orleans Saturday to encourage voters to unite in support of the “Republican cause." The Vice President was careful to use neutral language and avoided endorsing either candidate as the party’s favorite.

Both Abraham and Rispone presented a united front at that rally, though their campaigns have previously engaged in a fair share of mudslinging toward each other.

Both Republican candidates took a moment to praise Pres. Trump’s decision to visit the state to swing votes on the eve of Election Night.

“I’m excited to welcome my friend President Trump to Louisiana," said Abraham in a statement. "In Congress, I’ve worked with our President to Make America Great Again. I can’t wait to work with him as the next Governor of Louisiana.”