Current:Home > ScamsLouisiana governor’s race ignites GOP hopes of reclaiming position as Democrats try to keep it blue-LoTradeCoin
Louisiana governor’s race ignites GOP hopes of reclaiming position as Democrats try to keep it blue
View Date:2024-12-23 15:30:26
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — As Louisiana’s gubernatorial election commences Saturday, Republicans are hoping to reclaim the governor’s mansion after an eight-year hiatus while Democrats try to keep the coveted position in a state where Donald Trump garnered a majority of the votes during the last two presidential elections.
Six major candidates — four Republicans, one Democrat and one independent — are vying for the seat that is being vacated by Gov. John Bel Edwards, the only Democratic governor in the Deep South. With Edwards unable to run due to consecutive term limits, the election opens a huge opportunity for Republicans to win Louisiana’s top position.
Louisiana is one of three states with a gubernatorial election this fall, along with Mississippi and Kentucky.
In total, 14 candidates are competing to succeed Edwards under a “ jungle primary " system in which all candidates, regardless of party affiliation, appear together on the same ballot on Saturday. If no candidate tops 50% of the votes, the top two vote-getters will advance to a runoff on Nov. 18.
Among the Republican candidates is Attorney General Jeff Landry, who earned the endorsement of high profile Republicans including former President Trump and U.S. Rep Steve Scalise, as well as a controversial early endorsement from the state GOP.
Throughout the race, Landry has enjoyed a sizable fundraising advantage over the rest of the field. He has also faced political attacks from opponents on social media and in interviews, calling him a bully and making accusations of backroom deals to gain support.
The other major candidates running for governor are GOP state Sen. Sharon Hewitt; Hunter Lundy, a Lake Charles-based attorney running as an independent; Republican state Treasurer John Schroder; Stephen Waguespack, the Republican former head of a powerful business group and former senior aide to then-Gov. Bobby Jindal; and Shawn Wilson, a Democrat and former head of Louisiana’s Transportation and Development Department.
State Rep. Richard Nelson withdrew from the race in September and endorsed Landry but will remain on the ballot per state election laws.
With four significant GOP candidates vying for the position, Democrats are hopeful that Wilson, their sole major candidate, will succeed. In the past the Democratic Party has coalesced behind one candidate, instead of splitting votes, to push their candidate through to a runoff and hopefully face a Republican who is limping into the general election following scrutiny and targeted political attack ads.
Saturday’s election also features a slew of statewide contests, four ballot measures and localized races, including all 39 Senate seats and 105 House seats, although a significant number of incumbents are running unopposed.
The governor’s race is not the only statewide office up for grabs without an incumbent on the ballot. There is also the attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer and insurance commissioner. Tim Temple, a former insurance executive vying for insurance commissioner, is running unopposed.
One closely watched race is for the job of secretary of state. Republican Kyle Ardoin holds the position but opted not to seek reelection.
Whoever is elected will take on the crucial task of replacing Louisiana’s outdated voting machines, which don’t produce the paper ballots critical to ensuring accurate election results.
The lengthy and ongoing replacement process was thrust into the national spotlight after allegations of bid-rigging. Voting machine companies claimed favoritism, and conspiracy theorists, who support Trump’s lies that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, inserted themselves into the conversation. Conspiracy theorists urged Ardoin to ditch voting machines altogether and instead rely on hand-counted paper ballots.
Among the candidates running for secretary of state are GOP state House Speaker Clay Schexnayder; First Assistant Secretary of State Nancy Landry, a Republican; Mike Francis, a public service commissioner and former chair of the state GOP; and Gwen Collins-Greenup, a Democrat and attorney. All four say they are against hand-counting paper ballots.
Also running for the position is grocery store owner Brandon Trosclair, who has aligned himself with a movement of conservative activists who believe there has been widespread fraud in Louisiana’s elections. The Republican supports hand-counted paper ballots, a notion that election clerks have spoken against as it would involve counting tens of thousands of ballots in many parishes.
veryGood! (8496)
Related
- Man who stole and laundered roughly $1B in bitcoin is sentenced to 5 years in prison
- Octavia Spencer, Keke Palmer and More Stars Support Taraji P. Henson’s Pay Inequality Comments
- Taliban official says Afghan girls of all ages permitted to study in religious schools
- A police SUV slammed into a bar in St. Louis. Police response drawing scrutiny
- Lions QB Jared Goff, despite 5 interceptions, dared to become cold-blooded
- It's the winter solstice. Here are 5 ways people celebrate the return of light
- Man accused of texting death threats to Ramaswamy faces similar charges involving 2 more candidates
- College football early signing day winners and losers include Alabama, Nebraska
- November 2024 full moon this week is a super moon and the beaver moon
- Rudy Giuliani files for bankruptcy days after being ordered to pay $148 million in defamation case
Ranking
- US Congress hopes to 'pull back the curtain' on UFOs in latest hearing: How to watch
- Hardy Lloyd sentenced to federal prison for threatening witnesses and jurors during Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial
- GM buys out nearly half of its Buick dealers across the country, who opt to not sell EVs
- Could Colorado lose commitment from top offensive lineman? The latest on Jordan Seaton
- Arkansas governor unveils $102 million plan to update state employee pay plan
- Hardy Lloyd sentenced to federal prison for threatening witnesses and jurors during Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial
- Remains of Green River Killer victim identified as runaway 15-year-old Lori Anne Ratzpotnik
- Chilling 'Zone of Interest' imagines life next door to a death camp
Recommendation
-
Georgia House Democrats shift toward new leaders after limited election gains
-
Toyota recalls 1 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles because air bag may not deploy properly
-
The Super League had its day in court and won. What is it and why do some fans and clubs object?
-
Green River Killer victim identified as Lori Razpotnik 41 years after she went missing
-
15 new movies you'll want to stream this holiday season, from 'Emilia Perez' to 'Maria'
-
Faith groups say more foster families are needed to care for the children coming to the US alone
-
Trump urges Supreme Court to decline to fast-track dispute over immunity claim
-
'Anyone But You': Glen Powell calls Sydney Sweeney the 'Miss Congeniality of Australia'