Republican Attorney General Jeff Landry Wins Louisiana Governor’s Race
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Attorney General Jeff Landry, a Republican backed by former President Donald Trump, has won the Louisiana governor’s race, defeating a crowded field of candidates and reclaiming the governor’s mansion for the GOP after eight years.
Landry’s victory marks a significant win for the Republican party, as he replaces current Governor John Bel Edwards, the only Democratic governor in the Deep South, who was unable to seek reelection due to term limits.
In his victory speech on Saturday night, Landry declared, “Today’s election says that our state is united. It’s a wake-up call and a message that everyone should hear loud and clear, that we the people in this state are going to expect more out of our government from here on out.”
By receiving more than half of the votes, Landry avoided a runoff election, which is typical under Louisiana’s “jungle primary” system. The last time there was no gubernatorial runoff in the state was in 2011 when Republican Bobby Jindal secured the position.
The governor-elect celebrated with supporters at a watch party in Broussard, Louisiana, describing the election as “historic.”
Prior to holding the position of attorney general, Landry gained prominence and raised the profile of the office since taking office in 2016. Throughout his tenure, Landry championed conservative policy positions, often finding himself in controversial debates. He has been involved in supporting Louisiana laws that ban gender-affirming medical care for transgender youths, impose a near-total abortion ban without exceptions for cases of rape and incest, and restrict access to “sexually explicit material” in libraries, which opponents argue targets LGBTQ+ books.
Landry and Gov. Edwards have frequently clashed over various state matters, including LGBTQ rights, state finances, and the death penalty. Landry has also taken Louisiana into national fights, including taking a stance against President Joe Biden’s policies that limit oil and gas production and COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
With an 11-year service in the Louisiana Army National Guard and a background as a local police officer, sheriff’s deputy, and attorney, Landry brings a diverse range of experiences to his new role as governor.
Throughout the gubernatorial campaign, Landry had been considered the early front-runner, garnering endorsements from high-profile Republicans such as Donald Trump and U.S. Rep Steve Scalise. He also enjoyed a substantial fundraising advantage over the other candidates.
Addressing crime in urban areas is one of Landry’s top priorities. He has advocated for more transparency in the justice system and a tough-on-crime approach, including continued support for capital punishment. Louisiana currently has the nation’s second-highest murder rate per capita.
During the campaign, Landry faced political attacks on social media and in interviews, with opponents accusing him of bullying and engaging in backroom deals for support. He also faced criticism for skipping all but one of the major televised debates.
Other candidates on the ballot included GOP state Sen. Sharon Hewitt, independent candidate Hunter Lundy, Republican state Treasurer John Schroder, Stephen Waguespack, the former head of a powerful business group and a former senior aide to then-Gov. Jindal, and Shawn Wilson, the former head of Louisiana’s Transportation and Development Department and the sole major Democratic candidate.
The runner-up, Shawn Wilson, congratulated Landry on his victory during his concession speech and called on the governor-elect to prioritize issues such as Medicaid expansion, increased teacher pay, and quality education.
In addition to the governor’s race, Louisiana also held elections for several other statewide contests and four ballot measures. Results for these races will be determined in November.
One closely watched race is for the attorney general position, which holds the highest legal authority in the state’s executive branch. Republican Liz Baker Murrill and Democrat Lindsey Cheek have advanced to a November runoff.
Incumbent Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser won his reelection bid, while races for attorney general and state treasurer remain undecided until November.
The secretary of state race will also have a runoff in November between Republican First Assistant Secretary of State Nancy Landry and Democrat attorney Gwen Collins-Greenup. The winner will be tasked with replacing Louisiana’s outdated voting machines with ones that produce paper ballots for accurate election results.
While hundreds of localized races took place, many incumbents are running unopposed for the 39 Senate seats and 105 House seats.