Jeff Landry
2024 - Present
2028
1
Jeff Landry (Republican Party) is the Governor of Louisiana. He assumed office on January 8, 2024. His current term ends on January 10, 2028.
Landry (Republican Party) won election for Governor of Louisiana outright in the primary on October 14, 2023, after the general election was canceled.
In the Louisiana majority-vote system, all candidates appear on the same primary ballot, and a candidate who receives a simple majority of the vote wins outright. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the top two finishers—regardless of party—advance to the general election.
Landry was born in 1970 in St. Martinville, Louisiana. He joined the Louisiana National Guard during his senior year of high school, worked in law enforcement as a police officer and sheriff’s deputy, and started a tank testing company in 1995. Landry graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a bachelor's degree in environmental and sustainable resources in 1999. In 2004, he graduated from Loyola Law School.[1][2][3][4]
Landry's political involvement began in 1992 when he volunteered on Republican Craig Romero's state Senate campaign, served as his legislative aide, and later managed his campaign for U.S. House. In 2007, Landry ran for Romero's term-limited state Senate seat but lost the election to Troy Hebert (D) 51%-49%. In 2010, Landry ran for Louisiana's 3rd Congressional District, defeating Ravi Sangisetty (D) 64%-36%. In 2012, he lost re-election to then-Seventh District Rep. Charles Boustany (R) following redistricting.[4][5][6]
In 2015, Landry ran for Louisiana Attorney General, defeating incumbent Buddy Caldwell (R) 56%-44%. He was re-elected outright in the 2019 primary.[5] AP News' Sara Cline wrote in 2023 that Landry "raised the profile of attorney general ... [and] used his office to champion conservative policy positions."[7] In 2024, NOLA.com's Tyler Bridges wrote, "During his eight years as attorney general, Landry established himself as the leading contender to be governor[.]"[4]
In 2023, Landry won the primary for governor of Louisiana outright, receiving 52% of the vote to Shawn Wilson's (D) 26%. Incumbent Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) was term-limited. Once Landry took office, Louisiana became a Republican trifecta following eight years of divided government.
In January 2024, while calling a special legislative session to address redistricting, Landry also asked the legislature to consider replacing the Louisiana majority-vote system with closed primaries. He said, "As I travel this state, I have listened carefully to those who seek a more focused electoral process ... [a] process which results in a stronger, more unified team of elected leaders."[8] Landry signed H.B. 17, which implemented closed primaries beginning in 2026 for the offices of U.S. senator and representative, state supreme court justice, Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, and Public Service Commission.
In June 2024, Landry's office said in a press release that he had "received approval on all of his priority bills" during the regular legislative session, and highlighted a list of bills considered major wins, including bills requiring a parent to approve the use of preferred pronouns at school and classifying abortion-inducing drugs Mifepristone and Misoprostol as controlled substances.[9] Later that month, Landry also signed a bill requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom. He said, "[T]his country was founded on Judeo Christian principles and every time we steer away from that, we have problems in our nation."[10]
Biography
Landry was born in Saint Martinville, Louisiana, where he also attended high school. He earned a B.S. from University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1999 and a J.D. from Loyola University in New Orleans in 2004.[11]
Prior to his political career, Landry worked as an attorney, police officer, and business owner.[11] Landry was in the Louisiana Army National Guard from 1987 to 1998.[11]
Political career
Below is a list of offices within Ballotpedia’s scope. Offices outside of that scope will not be listed. If an update is needed and the office is within our scope, please contact us.
Landry's political career includes the following offices:
- 2024-present: Governor of Louisiana
- 2016-2024: Attorney General of Louisiana
- 2011-2013: U.S. House Louisiana District 3
Elections
2023
See also: Louisiana gubernatorial election, 2023
Louisiana elections use the majority-vote system. All candidates compete in the same primary, and a candidate can win the election outright by receiving more than 50 percent of the vote. If no candidate does, the top two vote recipients from the primary advance to the general election, regardless of their partisan affiliation.
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Governor of Louisiana
The following candidates ran in the primary for Governor of Louisiana on October 14, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jeff Landry (R) | 51.6 | 547,827 |
 | Shawn Wilson (D)  | 25.9 | 275,525 | |
 | Stephen Waguespack (R) | 5.9 | 62,287 | |
 | John Schroder (R) | 5.3 | 56,654 | |
 | Hunter Lundy (Independent) | 4.9 | 52,165 | |
| Daniel Cole (D) | 2.6 | 27,662 | ||
 | Sharon Hewitt (R) | 1.7 | 18,468 | |
 | Benjamin Barnes (Independent) | 0.5 | 5,190 | |
| Patrick Henry Barthel (R) | 0.4 | 4,426 | ||
 | Richard Nelson (R) (Unofficially withdrew) | 0.3 | 3,605 | |
| Jeffery Istre (Independent) | 0.3 | 3,400 | ||
 | Xavier Ellis (R) | 0.2 | 1,734 | |
| Keitron Gagnon (Independent) | 0.1 | 1,260 | ||
 | Xan John (R) | 0.1 | 1,164 | |
 | Frank Scurlock (Independent) | 0.1 | 1,131 | |
| Total votes: 1,062,498 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Oscar Dantzler (D)
Endorsements
Landry received the following endorsements.
- U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R)
- U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham (R)
- U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins (R)
- U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson (R)
- U.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R)
- Former U.S. President Donald Trump (R)
- Republican Party of Louisiana
- Club for Growth
- Patriot Parents
- Eddie Rispone (R) - 2019 Gubernatorial Candidate
- Donald Trump Jr. -
2019
See also: Louisiana Attorney General election, 2019
Louisiana elections use the majority-vote system. All candidates compete in the same primary, and a candidate can win the election outright by receiving more than 50 percent of the vote. If no candidate does, the top two vote recipients from the primary advance to the general election, regardless of their partisan affiliation.
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Attorney General of Louisiana
Incumbent Jeff Landry won election outright against Ike Jackson in the primary for Attorney General of Louisiana on October 12, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jeff Landry (R) | 66.2 | 855,366 |
 | Ike Jackson (D) | 33.8 | 436,502 | |
| Total votes: 1,291,868 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2015
Landry was a candidate for Louisiana attorney general in the 2015 election.
General election
Incumbent Buddy Caldwell was defeated by fellow Republican Jeff Landry in the general election.[12]
| Attorney General of Louisiana, General Election, 2015 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Buddy Caldwell | 43.7% | 473,869 | |
| Republican |  Jeff Landry |
56.3% | 610,433 | |
| Total Votes | 1,084,302 | |||
| Election Results Louisiana Secretary of State. | ||||
Primary election
No candidate received an outright majority in the blanket primary election on October 24, 2015. The two candidates with the most votes, who qualified for the November 21st general election were incumbent Buddy Caldwell (R) and Jeff Landry (R).[15]
| Attorney General of Louisiana, Blanket Primary, 2015 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Buddy Caldwell |
35.4% | 376,187 | |
| Republican | Jeff Landry |
32.7% | 347,441 | |
| Democratic | Geraldine "Geri" Broussard Baloney | 17.6% | 187,332 | |
| Democratic | Ike Jackson | 10.8% | 115,037 | |
| Republican | Marty Maley | 3.6% | 37,787 | |
| Total Votes | 1,063,784 | |||
| Election Results Louisiana Secretary of State. | ||||
Endorsements
Landry was endorsed by the Republican Party of Louisiana. The party chose to support Landry over Republican incumbent Buddy Caldwell.[16]
2014
Landry was rumored as a possible Senate candidate in 2014. In February 2014, he announced he would instead run for Attorney General of Louisiana.[17]
2012
Landry ran in the 2012 election for the U.S. House to represent Louisiana's 3rd District. Landry faced Ron Richard (D), incumbent Charles Boustany Jr. (R), Bryan Barrilleaux (R) and Jim Stark (L) in the November 6 blanket primary.[18] Because no candidate received a majority of the vote on November 6, 2012, a general election was held on December 8, 2012.[19] Landry advanced to the general election where he was defeated by Boustany.
The Hill listed Landry as the most vulnerable Republican incumbent in 2012 as a result of redistricting.[20]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Charles Boustany Jr. Incumbent |
60.9% | 58,820 | |
| Republican | Jeff Landry Incumbent | 39.1% | 37,764 | |
| Total Votes | 96,584 | |||
| Source: Louisiana Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election". | ||||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Charles W. Boustany, Jr. (R) Incumbent |
44.7% | 139,123 |
| Jeff Landry (R) Incumbent |
30% | 93,527 |
| Bryan Barrilleaux (R) | 2.5% | 7,908 |
| Ron Richard (D) | 21.5% | 67,070 |
| Jim Stark (L) | 1.2% | 3,765 |
| Total Votes | 311,393 | |
Campaign issues
Below were several issues highlighted on Landry's campaign website.[21]
- Excerpt: "Opposing Nationalized Healthcare While Lowering Costs"[22]
- Excerpt: "Keeping Jobs in Louisiana and Growing Our Economy: In many cases the best thing our government can do to create jobs is to get out of the way and let the entrepreneurship and the free market principles that our nation was founded upon to thrive."[23]
- Excerpt: "Fighting Deficits and Wasteful Spending:I opposed the disastrous Washington debt ceiling deal because it gave Obama the ability to borrow trillions of more dollars. I have consistently tried to support budgets which cut spending."[24]
- Excerpt: "I am Pro-Life. I believe life is a gift from God. I support efforts to end all federal funding of abortion."[25]
- Excerpt: "I believe in America. I believe in the Constitution. I believe in God. I believe that our best days are still in front of us. I believe in your ability to manage your personal and business affairs."[26]
Media
Landry was interviewed by Greta Van Susteren on May 15, 2012. The following video was featured on his campaign website.[27]
Jeff Landry, "Rep. Jeff Landry On the Record"[28] |
2010
On November 2, 2010, Landry won election to the United States House of Representatives. He defeated Ravi Sangisetty (D) in the general election.[29]
| U.S. House, Louisiana District 3 General Election, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Jeff Landry |
63.8% | 108,963 | |
| Democratic | Ravi Sangisetty | 36.2% | 61,914 | |
| Total Votes | 170,877 | |||
Campaign themes
2023
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Jeff Landry did not complete Ballotpedia's 2023 Candidate Connection survey.
2019
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Jeff Landry did not complete Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.
Notable endorsements
This section displays endorsements this individual made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Personal Gain Index
- See also: Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress)
- See also: Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress)
The Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress) is a two-part measurement that illustrates the extent to which members of the U.S. Congress have prospered during their tenure as public servants.
It consists of two different metrics:
PGI: Change in net worth
Between 2004 and 2012, Landry's calculated net worth[30] increased by an average of 73 percent per year. Between 2004 and 2012, the average annual percentage increase for a member of Congress was 15.4 percent.[31][32]
| Jeff Landry Yearly Net Worth | |
|---|---|
| Year | Average Net Worth |
| 2009 | $2,636,407 |
| 2012 | $8,423,007 |
| Growth from 2009 to 2012: | 219% |
| Average annual growth: | 73%[33] |
| Comparatively, the American citizen experienced a median yearly decline in net worth of -0.94%.[34] | |
The data used to calculate changes in net worth may include changes resulting from assets gained through marriage, inheritance, changes in family estates and/or trusts, changes in family business ownership, and many other variables unrelated to a member's behavior in Congress.
Specific votes
Fiscal Cliff 2013
Landry voted against the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. He was 1 of 151 Republicans that voted against the bill. The bill was passed in the House by a 257 - 167 vote on January 1, 2013.[35]
Analysis
Congressional staff salaries
The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Landry paid his congressional staff a total of $822,861 in 2011. He ranked 62nd on the list of the lowest paid Republican representative staff salaries and ranked 70th overall of the lowest paid representative staff salaries in 2011. Overall, Louisiana ranked 37th in average salary for representative staff. The average U.S. House of Representatives congressional staff was paid $954,912.20 in fiscal year 2011.[36]
Political Positions
National Journal vote ratings
2012
According to the data released in 2013, Jeff Landry ranked 4th in the conservative rankings in 2012. This was the most conservative ranking earned by a representative of Louisiana in 2012.[37]
2011
According to the data released in 2012, Jeff Landry ranked 36th in the conservative rankings in 2011.[38]
Voting with party
November 2011
Jeff Landry voted with the Republican Party 92.1 percent of the time, which ranked 137 among the 242 House Republican members as of November 2011.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many
Congressional tenure
Committee assignments
2011-2012
Landry served on the following committees:[39]
- Committee on Natural Resources
- Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources
- Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs
- Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
- Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
- Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
- Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials
- Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment
- Committee on Small Business
- Subcommittee on Agriculture, Energy and Trade
- Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight and Regulations
- Subcommittee on Contracting and Workforce
See also
2023 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Governor of Louisiana |
Officeholder Governor of Louisiana |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Office of the Governor, "Meet the Governor," accessed July 18, 2024
- ↑ Jeff Landry 2023 campaign website, "Jeff's Story," accessed July 18, 2024
- ↑ The Advocate, "Trump campaign names AG Jeff Landry co-chair of 'Veterans for Trump' 2020 coalition," November 7, 2019
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 NOLA.com, "Road to the Governor's Mansion: What Jeff Landry's past tells us about how he'll govern," January 7, 2024
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Louisiana Secretary of State, "Official results," accessed July 18, 2024
- ↑ Congress.gov, "Representative Jeffrey M. Landry (1970 - )," accessed July 18, 2024
- ↑ AP News, "Republican Jeff Landry wins the Louisiana governor’s race, reclaims office for GOP," October 15, 2023
- ↑ Office of the Governor, "Governor Jeff Landry Opens First Special Session on Court Ordered Redistricting," January 16, 2024
- ↑ Office of the Governor, "Governor Landry Wraps First Session with Big Wins for Louisiana," June 3, 2024
- ↑ The Hill, "Louisiana governor defends Ten Commandments law: 'What’s the big problem?'" June 21, 2024
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Biographical Guide to Members of Congress, "Jeff Landry," accessed November 17, 2011
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "Unofficial Election Results," accessed November 21, 2015
- ↑ Landry for Louisiana, "Latest Info," February 24, 2014
- ↑ Associated Press, "Louisiana - County Vote Results: Attorney General - General," November 21, 2015
- ↑ The Lens, "Election 2015," accessed October 25, 2015
- ↑ The Times-Picayune, "In rare move, GOP endorses Jeff Landry for AG over incumbent Buddy Caldwell," July 28, 2015
- ↑ NOLA.com, "Former Congressman Jeff Landry announces run for Louisiana attorney general," accessed February 25, 2014
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "Candidate List," accessed August 17, 2012
- ↑ Nola.com, "Bill Cassidy leads Louisiana pack in chase for U.S. House campaign cash" accessed February 18, 2012
- ↑ The Hill, "Most vulnerable redistricted Republicans" accessed March 12, 2012
- ↑ Campaign Website
- ↑ Campaign Website
- ↑ Campaign Website
- ↑ Campaign Website
- ↑ Campaign Website
- ↑ Campaign Website
- ↑ Campaign Website
- ↑ YouTube channel
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed March 28, 2013 accessed November 17, 2011
- ↑ This figure represents the total percentage growth from either 2004 (if the member entered office in 2004 or earlier) or the member's first year in office (as noted in the chart below).
- ↑ This number was found by dividing each member's total net worth growth percentage by the number of years included in the calculation.
- ↑ OpenSecrets, "Landry, (R-Louisiana), 2010"
- ↑ This figure represents the total percentage growth divided by the number of years for which there are net worth figures for each member.
- ↑ This figure was calculated using median asset data from the Census Bureau. Please see the Congressional Net Worth data for Ballotpedia spreadsheet for more information on this calculation.
- ↑ U.S. House, "Roll Call Vote on the Fiscal Cliff," accessed January 4, 2013
- ↑ LegiStorm, "Jeff Landry"
- ↑ National Journal, "TABLE: House Liberal Scores by Issue Area," February 26, 2013
- ↑ National Journal, "Searchable Vote Ratings Tables: House," accessed February 23, 2012
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "House of Representatives Committee Assignments" accessed November 17, 2011
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John Bel Edwards (D) |
Governor of Louisiana 2024-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
Attorney General of Louisiana 2016-2024 |
Succeeded by Liz Murrill (R) |
| Preceded by Charlie Melancon (D) |
U.S. House Louisiana District 3 2011-2013 |
Succeeded by Charles Boustany Jr. (R) |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
State of Louisiana Baton Rouge (capital) |
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