Politics and the suite life for Saints playoffs? Insiders got wish granted by Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards

The field, as seen from a guest suite at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Sunday Jan. 13, 2019 before the NFL football NFC championship game between the New Orleans Saints and the Los Angeles Rams. [From Facebook]

It was the hottest Superdome ticket in 10 years: Saints vs. Rams, with the winner advancing to the Super Bowl.

Every Saints fan wanted to be at the Jan. 20 playoff game.

And a select group of elected officials and political insiders got their wishes realized, for free, in the governor’s state-provided suite.

Those who watched the game at the invitation of Gov. John Bel Edwards included former Gov. Edwin Edwards, New Orleans City Council member Helena Moreno, state Sen. Karen Carter Peterson, state Rep. Royce Duplessis, Caddo Parish District Attorney James Stewart, Baton Rouge-based developer Mike Wampold, and Fred Heebe, a lawyer and owner of the River Birch landfill in Jefferson Parish.

More than a dozen top Louisiana fundraisers or other political insiders hobnobbed with the governor at his state-provided suite during the NFC Championship game, reporter Tyler Bridges found after obtaining a list of attendees. An outside interest group paid $2,000 for the event's food and alcohol.