Former President Donald Trump has officially endorsed Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry in his run for governor of the state.
“I am honored to have the endorsement of President Donald Trump. And I am grateful for his kind words,” Landry announced on Twitter.
“I am endorsing your Attorney General Jeff Landry for Governor,” Trump said in the video. “He has been a fantastic Attorney General. He wants to stop crime. He loves the people of Louisiana just like I do.”
“This endorsement is part of a growing list of GOP supporters including Congressman Mike Johnson, Congressman Clay Higgins, former Congressman Ralph Abraham, businessman Eddie Rispone, businessman Boysie Bollinger, the Club for Growth, as well as numerous Republican Parish Executive Committees across Louisiana,” Landy’s website read, as he promised to announce more endorsements in the coming weeks.
Trump, who won Louisiana in both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections—with more votes than any presidential candidate ever—remains wildly popular among Republicans in the state.
Landry has been the front-running Republican in every early poll so far, in what looks to be a crowded race to win back the governorship.
Other Republicans who have announced their run include state Sen. Sharon Hewitt; state Rep. Richard Nelson; state Treasurer John Schroder; and former Louisiana Association of Business and Industry President Stephen Waguespack, who was also the chief of staff for former Gov. Bobby Jindal.
The Democrats are faced with the departure, after eight years, of the popular Governor John Bel Edwards due to term limits. Their current front-runner is former Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Secretary Shawn Wilson.
Running as an independent is well-known conservative attorney Hunter Lundy of Lake Charles.
Focus on Crime
AG Landry was the first in the state to announce his candidacy. Landry, a former police officer and Sheriff’s deputy, launched his campaign in October with an ad focusing on education and crime.
“Incompetent mayors and woke district attorneys are playing a dangerous game of catch and release,” Landry said in the video.
“When DA’s fail to prosecute, when judges fail to act, when police are handcuffed instead of the criminals, enough is enough. We are going to hold everyone, and I mean everyone, accountable for violent crime,” he added in another campaign message.
In October, the Louisiana gubernatorial candidates will all run on one ballot—regardless of party—in a so-called “jungle primary.” In the event that no candidate wins a 50 percent majority, which is likely, the two top candidates will move on to a runoff.
The qualifying period for the gubernatorial race is Tuesday, August 8, through Thursday, August 10.
The primary election vote is scheduled for Saturday, October 14. The runoff (if needed) will be on November 18.
