Republican Attorney General Jeff Landry has won Lousiana’s gubernatorial race, flipping the state from Democratic control ahead of the 2024 presidential elections.
Last month, Landry was declared the winner in the jungle primary, reaching the 50 percent vote threshold needed to avoid a runoff. He went against Democrat Shawn Wilson, who were both considered front-runners to replace term-limited Democrat Gov. John Bel Edwards.
“Today’s election says that our state is united,” Landry said during his victory speech. “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.”
The result might give the GOP a boost heading into this year’s remaining races and the presidential election next year, serving as the first major test for Republicans and Democrats before the 2024 elections.
Landry, 52, was the clear favorite to win, as a number of recent surveys indicated that neither candidate would secure a 50 percent majority on Saturday, forcing the election into a runoff in November.
Wilson was running to become the first Black statewide elected official from Louisiana since Reconstruction. However, observers noted that he had difficulties, particularly with voter turnout.
“Democratic turnout has been weak,” said Louisiana-based pollster John Couvillon, who usually works with Republicans. “Normally, early voting tends to favor Democrats, and Republicans as of Saturday night cumulatively have a plus-5 lead.”
As expected, Democrats were devastated over Wilson’s loss, including Black Voters Matter co-founder Cliff Albright, who criticized members of the Democratic Party for not putting more resources into the race.
“There’s really no discussion, and more importantly, very little lack of investment in voter mobilization,” Albright said. “That includes the party itself not putting a lot into this election, which, unfortunately, is a pattern that we’re seeing in Southern states in general and particularly in states that have Black candidates.”
Democrats and Republicans face more challenging races this year, including a heated Kentucky gubernatorial election and the elections to control the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates. Both are scheduled for November.