On his Air Force One flight to Louisiana earlier this week, President Trump tried to persuade Rep. Steve Scalise to run for governor of Louisiana, according to two sources familiar with the president’s private conversation.

Why it matters: The president’s personal appeal to the second highest ranking Republican in the House shows how determined Republicans are to knock off Louisiana Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards.

As Louisiana’s largest daily newspaper, The Advocate, reported: “Edwards’ re-election bid has already drawn national interest from Republicans hoping to unseat the only Democratic governor in the Deep South.”

Scalise has previously said he’s not running.