The race for governor next fall is coming into sharper focus, but not in the usual way.
The field of potential candidates for governor typically expands around now. But in the past week, the field has narrowed.
Last week, Senator John Kennedy announced he would not run. Now, Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser says he’ll run for re-election, not for governor. Meanwhile, State Treasurer John Schroder says he will run for governor. They’re all Republicans.
Why this flurry of activity eight months before qualifying? The short answer is Attorney General Jeff Landry.
Landry has a lock on the far-right, pro-Trump wing of the GOP, but many voters and politicos would prefer someone else. The early jockeying is all about finding a Republican alternative to Landry.
And with qualifying not until August, it’s just beginning.
