Landry takes the oath as governor

BATON ROUGE — A weather-driven change in inauguration plans moving the inauguration of Republican Jeff Landry as 57th governor of Louisiana from Monday to Sunday suggests the direction of his administration.

The staunch conservative with a small-town upbringing in St. Martinville will lead a state government dominated by mostly like-minded Republicans.

Every top state office is held by a Republican. The state’s House and Senate are super-majority Republicans.

With his wife, Sharon, and son, J.T., at his side, Landry, 53, recited his oath and reinforced the direction he will lead the state in his inaugural address.

With a “Welcome home” greeting in front of the capitol, Landry said, “I love Louisiana. If I had a hundred lives to live, I’d live them all in Louisiana.”

Outgoing governor, John Bel Edwards, sat to the right of Landry on the platform.

As attorney general, Landry often went to court to challenge policies advanced by President Biden and Edwards.

But in his speech, Landry said, “Our people did not send us here to quarrel over the senseless, the personal, the trivial, or the political.”

Landry said in his prepared text, “Our people did not send us here to settle scores or engage in battles created by secretly funded manipulators that profit by dividing Americans.

“Instead, the people sent us here to repair and reform their government and to unleash innovation and production, so their future and the future of their children are made better.

The son of a school teacher, Landry said Louisiana citizens “…demand that our children be afforded an education that reflects those wholesome principles, and not an indoctrination behind their mother’s back.

“The most important voice in a child’s education should be that of their parents.”

Landry also stressed coming action against crime.

“I sadly hear the victims of crime whose compelling voices have gone unheard for far too long, squelched by the misguided noise of those who had rather coddle criminals than live in peace.

“I mince no words about the consequences that I feel are wholly appropriate for those who commit violent crime in our state.”

Landry also drew into question science that has led to environmental rules.

“We shall seek and we shall heed, all of the science, not just the selective slices spoon-fed to us by those seeking to profit, in many cases, from the taxpayer funded subsidies that disregard the health, the safety, and the employment security of our citizens; hiding the truth about the real environmental footprints created by the lust for wealth by a chosen few and their reckless proposals,” he said.

Landry’s campaign website describes him, “From digging ditches to Desert Storm. From patrolling the beat to passing the bar exam. Jeff Landry walked in the shoes of people who struggle more than they should in a state as blessed as this one.”

His political advertisements told the story of growing up in St. Martinville as the son of an architect and a school teacher.

Landry served in the National Guard from 1987 to 1998 achieving the rank of sergeant.

Landry graduated from the University of Louisiana Lafayette and earned a law degree from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law.

Landry worked as St. Martin sheriff’s deputy, police officer in Parks.

Landry served in Congress representing the 3rd District from 2012 to 2014.

Landry served two two terms as the state attorney general beginning in 2016.

Landry won the October election for governor with 52% of the nearly 1 million votes cast to avoid a runoff in a field of 15 candidates. A little more than 36% of the voters eligible to vote in the election case ballots. Landry’s closest competitor was Democrat Shawn Wilson who got about 276,000 votes.

Other state officials elected in 2023 were given their oaths.

— Incumbent Lt. Gov. William “Billy” Nungesser won reelection outright gathering about 679,000 votes or 66% of the slightly over 1 million votes cast in October.

The races for secretary of state, attorney general and treasurer in October ended with runoffs decided in November.

Turnout for the November statewide runoff elections was 23.1%.

— Republican Nancy Landry won election as secretary of state in November by defeating Democrat “Gwen” Collins-Green with 67% of the 668,000 votes cast.

— Republican “Liz” Baker Murrrill captured 66% of the November vote to defeat Democrat Lindsey Cheek to succeed Jeff Landry as attorney general.

— Republican John Fleming won the race for treasurer with 65% of the vote to defeat Democrat Dustin Granger.