Election 2023
LABI president poised to enter Louisiana governor’s race, sources say
The head of one of Louisiana’s most powerful business groups is expected to enter the governor’s race Thursday, according to a handful of lobbyists and political operatives who spoke on the condition of anonymity Monday night. Stephen Waguespack, who has run the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI) since 2013, started to tell board […]
Louisiana now has a prominent Democratic candidate in the governor’s race: Shawn Wilson
Former Louisiana Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson became the only major Democratic candidate to enter the governor’s race Monday, emphasizing his record of working in a bipartisan manner to build roads and bridges across the state. “We will always face obstacles. To overcome them requires leaders that will work with everyone, at all levels of government, […]
3 talking points from Louisiana’s Republican governor candidates
At this early stage in the governor’s race, the four announced Republican gubernatorial candidates are hitting on similar campaign messages, though offering few specifics about what they would do as governor to solve the state’s problems. State Sen. Sharon Hewitt, Attorney General Jeff Landry, state Rep. Richard Nelson and Treasurer John Schroder appeared at the Louisiana […]
Court agreement lowers threshold for signatures needed to recall Cantrell
NEW ORLEANS – The signature-count threshold needed to trigger a general election to recall Mayor LaToya Cantrell would be lowered from about 50,000 to about 45,000 in a surprising court settlement reached Wednesday between the recall drive organizers and the Secretary of State’s office. The details of the settlement were not immediately available, but a […]
Dustin Granger enters Louisiana treasurer race as Democratic candidate
Personal financial adviser Dustin Granger of Lake Charles became the first Democrat to enter the Louisiana treasurer’s race Tuesday, emphasizing state government should shift away from favoring oil and gas investments and diversify its financial portfolio. “We have been making bad investment decisions for far too long,” Granger said in an interview. “There are so […]
Bond Commission keeps banking options open, despite Jeff Landry’s wishes
Members of the State Bond Commission met Friday and opted against placing any restrictions on the banks Louisiana is allowed to borrow money from based on the institution’s environmental, social or governance views. Concerns that limiting the state’s choice could cost taxpayers in terms of higher interest overcame calls from Attorney General Jeff Landry to […]
Cantrell recall would make significant history in Louisiana
Organizers of a recall petition to oust New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell had until 4:30 p.m. Wednesday to file their petition with the required number of verified signatures to force a special election on the matter. A successful recall in a city this large would be unprecedented, as standards to remove elected officials in many […]
Successful recalls are a small-town phenomenon in Louisiana
Organizers of an effort to recall New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell have until Wednesday to turn in roughly 50,000 signatures to force an election to decide whether she keeps her seat. If they are successful, it would mark a rare occasion as there is no history of such campaigns succeeding in large cities. Records from […]
Signatures to oust Cantrell are one thing; a recall election is another
A rousing cheer greeted New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell when she arrived at a Lower 9th Ward community center Thursday. She was there to join Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, Congressman Troy Carter and U.S. Housing Secretary Marcia Fudge to announce the end of the Road Home program. Most of the neighborhood residents gathered were […]
Shawn Wilson retires from DOTD; no word yet on governor’s race
The person who has emerged as the most likely Democrat to run for Louisiana governor announced he is retiring from his state job, but so far there’s been no word from outgoing Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson on whether he will enter the race. Gov. John Bel Edwards announced Wednesday that Wilson is leaving his post […]
Schroder ends the mystery and enters governor’s race
MANDEVILLE – Long considered a probable candidate, Louisiana Treasurer John Schroder made his intentions public Thursday night and announced he is running for governor. He joins a field that so far includes three other Republican contenders. Before a large crowd of supporters at the Fleur de Lis Event Center, Schroder shared his campaign platform on […]
Former Louisiana Congressman John Fleming likely to enter treasurer’s race
Former Congressman John Fleming, R-Minden, looks likely to enter the Louisiana treasurer’s race, he said in an interview Wednesday morning. Fleming has already commissioned a statewide poll on candidacy and is fundraising for a potential campaign. He has also hired two members of a potential campaign team, though he isn’t quite ready to make an […]