On Saturday night, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry (R) secured a resounding victory as he was elected governor of the state, effectively turning Louisiana red after eight years of Democrat leadership.
In Louisiana’s all-party primary election, Landry emerged as the clear winner with nearly double the support of his closest competitor, Democrat Shawn Wilson, capturing 51.6% of the vote compared to Wilson’s 25.9%.
TOTAL JEFF LANDRY VICTORY
WE FLIPPED LOUISIANA TONIGHT, BY A LOT!
BIDEN +8 DISTRICTS? NAH, SOME FLIPPED TO R+30!
SAY HELLO TO ONE OF THE BEST GOVERNORS OF THE COUNTRY. THANKS, TRUMP!
🔵->🔴 (FLIP) pic.twitter.com/47Os9ZhRSM
— Red Eagle Politics (@RedEaglePatriot) October 15, 2023
Landry, who received an endorsement from former President Donald Trump, celebrated his triumph in front of enthusiastic supporters, emphasizing unity and higher expectations from the government in his victory speech.
“Today’s election says that our state is united,” declared the conservative governor-elect. “It’s a wake-up call and a message that everyone should hear loud and clear: we, the people of this state, are going to expect more from our government from here on out.”
Louisiana employs a “jungle primary” system, which would have necessitated a runoff election if no candidate had secured more than 50% of the vote in the 16-candidate field, comprising Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. This marks the first time since 2011 that Louisiana avoided a runoff in a gubernatorial election.
Before serving as Louisiana’s attorney general in 2016, Landry represented Louisiana’s 3rd district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2013.
Landry’s commanding victory on Saturday has been seen as a potential harbinger of success for Republicans in the forthcoming 2024 election, making it the first significant election leading up to that year.
A significant factor in Landry’s success was his endorsement by former President Trump, who backed the Republican in May, lauding his commitment to crime reduction, support for the people of Louisiana, and alignment with Trump’s own values.
Trump extended his congratulations to Landry on Truth Social, predicting that he would be a “truly GREAT GOVERNOR.”
Landry’s campaign centered on crime control in Louisiana, economic improvement, and education reform. He also positioned himself as a staunch pro-life advocate and vowed to oppose what he termed the “woke agenda” in public schools, pledging to sign a parental rights bill upon taking office.
Outgoing Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards (D) congratulated Landry on his victory, acknowledging Landry’s focus on uniting the people of Louisiana and addressing critical household issues.
