(Headline USA) Republican Attorney General, Jeff Landry, has won the Louisiana governor’s race, holding off a crowded field of candidates.
The win is a major victory for the GOP as they reclaim the governor’s mansion for the first time in eight years. Landry will replace current Gov. John Bel Edwards, who was unable to seek reelection due to consecutive term limits. Edwards was the only Democratic governor in the Deep South.
“Today’s election says that our state is united,” Landry said during his victory speech Saturday night. “It’s a wake up call and it’s 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 garnering more than half of the votes, Landry avoided an expected runoff under the state’s “jungle primary” system. The last time there wasn’t a gubernatorial runoff in Louisiana was in 2011 and 2007, when Bobby Jindal, a Republican, won the state’s top position.
The governor-elect, who celebrated with supporters during a watch party in Broussard, Louisiana, described the election as “historic.”
Landry, 52, has raised the profile of attorney general since taking office in 2016. He has used his office to defend the people of Louisiana from radical leftist policies. He has:
- Helped ban gender mutilations for minors
- Helped ban hormonal mutilations for minors
- Prohibited the murder of the unborn
- Banned pornographic books from being displayed in libraries
- Upheld the death penalty
- Opposed Biden’s anti-oil and anti-gas policies
- Opposed the COVID tyranny
- Opposed the tyranny of social media companies
Prior to being an A.G., Landry spent two years on Capitol Hill, beginning in 2011, where he represented Louisiana’s 3rd U.S. Congressional District.
Prior to his political career, Landry served 11 years in the Louisiana Army National Guard, was a local police officer, sheriff’s deputy and attorney.
During the gubernatorial election season, Landry had long been considered the early front-runner, winning the endorsement of high profile Republicans — Trump and U.S. Rep Steve Scalise — and an early endorsement from the state GOP.
In addition, Landry has enjoyed a sizable fundraising advantage over the rest of the field throughout the race.
Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press
