Election 2023
Election 2023: Qualifying for this fall’s Louisiana races is under way
The qualifying period for candidates in Louisiana’s elections runs from 8 a.m. Tuesday to 4:30 p.m. Thursday. Those seeking statewide offices will sign up at the State Archives building in Baton Rouge, while those entering legislative races and seeking local office will qualify with their local clerks of court. Chester Pritchett, of the birthday party, […]
Three candidates say they’ll voluntarily ‘weaken’ the governor’s office if elected
Three of the seven candidates for Louisiana governor said they would voluntarily give up some of the office’s wide-ranging power and influence if elected this fall to replace Gov. John Bel Edwards. “I think the power of the governor is too strong,” said former business lobbyist and Republican candidate Stephen Waguespack at the annual conference […]
Louisiana Republican Party endorses Liz Murrill for attorney general
The Louisiana Republican Party endorsed one of Attorney General Jeff Landry’s top deputies, Liz Murrill, in the race to replace him, the party announced Thursday. “With a new governor, legislature, and attorney general, we will have an opportunity to bring true conservative reform to state government,” Murrill said in a press release. “Now is the […]
Louisiana U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy endorses Attorney General Jeff Landry for governor
Louisiana’s senior U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy has endorsed Attorney General Jeff Landry over four other Republicans in the governor’s race, despite the two men taking different approaches to politics in recent years. “Today, I endorse Jeff Landry for governor. There are good people in the race, and I am friends with most. But as I’ve […]
Other Republicans in the Louisiana governor’s race criticize Jeff Landry
Republicans running for Louisiana governor have ramped up attacks on the presumed GOP frontrunner in the race, Attorney General Jeff Landry. Landry has become a target for other candidates after leading in recent polls. The attorney general has also raised more money than anyone else in the race. The most recent criticism came from candidate […]
Landry, Louisiana GOP spend $22,000 at Mar-a-Lago in recent months
Attorney General Jeff Landry and the state Republican Party have spent almost $22,000 at former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida over the past four months, as Landry seeks to win the Louisiana governor’s race. Landry’s gubernatorial campaign reported paying Mar-a-Lago $4,729.44 on July 5 for a fundraiser banquet. The Republican Party of Louisiana […]
Louisiana governor hopefuls want to make the state more business – and worker – friendly
After Louisiana was ranked as the second-to-worst state for business, candidates vying to be its next governor agree something must be done – but don’t always concur on just what the answer is. Five of the top contenders for governor spoke with the Illuminator about their plans to lift Louisiana from the bottom of such […]
Louisiana governor’s race: Hewitt slams Wilson over Slidell bridge construction
With the governor’s race gaining steam in Louisiana, underdog Republican candidate state Sen. Sharon Hewitt took a jab at Democratic frontrunner Shawn Wilson in an open letter Tuesday, complaining about bridge construction in her home St. Tammany Parish. In the letter from her campaign email account, Hewitt criticized the timing of a state infrastructure project […]
Louisiana Democratic Party chair under fire for endorsement moves
A string of decisions by the Louisiana Democratic Party chair has generated infighting among party members and a recent lawsuit surrounding its candidate endorsements. Two members of the Democratic State Central Committee, Katherine Hurst and Aimee Robinson, filed suit June 22 against party chair Katie Bernhardt in an attempt to stop her from suspending the […]
U.S. Supreme Court clears way for second Black congressional district in Louisiana
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted its stay in a Louisiana redistricting case, clearing the way to add a second Black district to the state’s congressional map. The case of Ardoin v. Robinson stems from a congressional map with just one majority-Black district that Louisiana’s Republican lawmakers adopted last year in defiance of a federal judge’s order. […]
Louisiana GOP lawmakers still hope to win gerrymandering appeal despite Supreme Court ruling
Louisiana’s Republican lawmakers believe they can still win their appeal in a federal congressional district gerrymandering lawsuit similar to one the state of Alabama lost Thursday in the U.S. Supreme Court. The court dropped an opinion Thursday in Allen v. Milligan that upholds a lower federal court decision that found congressional district maps Alabama’s legislature […]
Election conspiracy theory at root of proposed constitutional amendment
The Louisiana Legislature, with the help of House Democrats, approved a bill Thursday that gives steam to unsubstantiated election conspiracy theories accusing Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg of trying to influence local election officials during the 2020 presidential race. Gov. John Bel Edwards has vetoed similar bills in the past, but this year’s proposal will bypass […]