Donald Trump Endorses Jeff Landry in Louisiana Governor’s Race

LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL News) - The 45th President of the United States of America Donald Trump is letting everyone know who he wants to be the 57th governor of Louisiana.

The last time Trump threw his name behind a candidate for Louisiana governor was in 2019 when he put his White House endorsement behind businessman Eddie Rispone, who was trying to unseat incumbent John Bel Edwards.

Trump's "absolute total endorsement" of Rispone came after he gave a dual endorsement of Rispone and former U.S. Congressman Ralph Abraham before the primary election narrowed the field. Rispone went on to lose the race to Edwards and, one year later, Trump left the White House after election results showed Joe Biden to be the winner.

Now, Trump is running to oust Biden while Edwards is term-limited. 10 candidates have announced their names will be on the ballot for the 2023 gubernatorial election:

DEMOCRATS

• Danny Cole, pastor
• Shawn Wilson, former Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development

REPUBLICANS

• Sharon Hewitt, Majority Leader of the Louisiana Senate
• Xan John, businessman and Independent candidate for U.S. Senate
• Jeff Landry, Louisiana Attorney General
• Richard Nelson, state representative
• John Schroder, Louisiana State Treasurer
• Stephen Waguespack, former president and CEO of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry and former chief of staff to then-governor Bobby Jindal

INDEPENDENTS

• Jeffery Istre, oilfield worker and U.S. Army veteran
• Hunter Lundy, attorney and Democratic candidate for Louisiana's 7th congressional district

Today, Trump is announcing he is throwing his support behind Jeff Landry:

I am endorsing your Attorney General Jeff Landry for Governor. He has been a fantastic Attorney General. He wants to stop crime. He loves the people of Louisiana just like I do.

 

This endorsement adds to an impressive list of endorsements for Landry, including:

• The Louisiana Republican Party
• Congressman Mike Johnson
• Congressman Clay Higgins
• Former Congressman Ralph Abraham
• Businessman Eddie Rispone
• Businessman Boysie Bollinger

The filing deadline for candidates is August 10, 2023. The open primary for the governor's race will happen on October 14. The runoff will happen on November 18th.