BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Attorney General Jeff Landry Emerges Victorious in Louisiana Governor’s Race, Making a Major GOP Victory After Eight Years
Attorney General Jeff Landry, the Republican candidate endorsed by former President Donald Trump, has secured the highly contested Louisiana governor’s race, defeating a crowded field of candidates. This victory marks a significant win for the GOP as they regain control of the governor’s mansion after an eight-year Democratic hold. Landry, who will replace outgoing Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards due to consecutive term limits, is set to become the sole Democratic governor in the Deep South.
Since his election in 2015, Landry, 52, has continuously elevated the profile of the attorney general’s office. He has staunchly advocated for conservative policies and has recently gained attention for his support of controversial Louisiana laws, such as the ban on gender-affirming medical care for transgender youths, the near-total abortion ban without exceptions for rape and incest cases, and a law limiting access to “sexually explicit material” in libraries. Critics argue that this law specifically targets LGBTQ+ books.
By securing more than half of the votes, Landry successfully avoided a runoff election, thanks to the state’s “jungle primary” system.
Throughout Landry’s tenure as attorney general, he has frequently clashed with Governor Edwards on various issues, including LGBTQ rights, state finances, and the death penalty. However, the Republican candidate has also taken on national battles, such as challenging President Joe Biden’s policies on oil and gas production restrictions and COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
Prior to his role as attorney general, Landry spent two years as the representative for Louisiana’s 3rd U.S. Congressional District. His political career followed 11 years of service in the Louisiana Army National Guard, as well as work as a local police officer, sheriff’s deputy, and attorney.
Landry’s leading position in the gubernatorial race was apparent from the outset, securing endorsements from prominent Republicans, including Trump and U.S. Rep Steve Scalise, who was recently nominated to be the next House Speaker. Additionally, Landry benefitted from an early controversial endorsement from the state GOP, as well as a significant fundraising advantage over his competitors.
One of Landry’s main objectives as governor will be tackling crime in urban areas. The Republican candidate has consistently emphasized a tough-on-crime approach and has called for increased transparency in the justice system, while remaining a supporter of capital punishment. Louisiana currently holds the second-highest murder rate per capita in the United States.
Throughout the campaign, Landry faced political attacks via social media and interviews, with opponents labeling him as a bully and making accusations of backroom deals made to gain support. He also faced criticism for his limited participation in major televised debates.
Other notable candidates in the gubernatorial race included GOP state Sen. Sharon Hewitt, independent candidate Hunter Lundy, Republican state Treasurer John Schroder, former top aide to Governor Bobby Jindal Stephen Waguespack, and the only major Democratic candidate, former head of Louisiana’s Transportation and Development Department Shawn Wilson.
The gubernatorial race was accompanied by statewide contests for lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, and treasurer, as well as four ballot measures. One closely watched race is the attorney general position, which holds significant legal authority within the state’s executive branch. Republican Liz Baker Murrill and Democrat Lindsey Cheek are set to compete in a November runoff for this position. Similarly, the state treasurer race will see a runoff between Republican John Fleming and Democrat Dustin Granger.
Additionally, there are hundreds of localized races, including all 39 Senate seats and 105 House seats, although a significant number of incumbents are running unopposed.
Denial of responsibility! Vigour Times is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
