Nov 19, 2023 - Politics

Republicans win big in Louisiana's general election

Illustration of a small blue donkey hiding behind a large red elephant foot.

Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios

Republicans swept Louisiana's three runoff elections over the weekend, securing the state's top political offices in landslide victories.

Why it matters: No Democrat will hold statewide office in Louisiana after term-limited Gov. John Bel Edwards leaves in January.

What's happening: Voters on Saturday elected Nancy Landry as secretary of state with 67% of vote, Liz Baker Murrill as attorney general with 66% of vote and John Fleming as treasurer with 65% of vote.

  • Republican Jeff Landry's outright victory in the gubernatorial primary in October avoided a runoff in that race. Republican Billy Nungesser was also re-elected as lieutenant governor in the primary.
  • Tim Temple was unopposed in the insurance commissioner race, as was Mike Strain, the incumbent agriculture commissioner.

By the numbers: Many voters sat this one out. The unofficial voter turnout was about 22% statewide, according to the Secretary of State's office. Turnout was a measly 15% in Orleans and Jefferson parishes, state numbers show.

  • The GOP's wins come despite the state having more registered Democrats. Of the 3 million voters statewide who were qualified to vote Saturday, about 39% are Democrats while 34% are Republicans.

Zoom in: Voters in Orleans Parish overwhelmingly favored Democratic candidates. Gwen Collins-Greenup, Lindsey Cheek and Dustin Granger garnered more than 80% of the New Orleans votes for secretary of state, attorney general and treasurer respectively, according to state data.

  • In the race for state representative, Shaun Mena (D) defeated Tammy M. Savoie (D) with 58% of the vote to win the new seat for Mid-City and Hollygrove.

Worth noting: Republican challenger Jacob Braud flipped the House's 105th district seat after getting 56% of the vote to defeat Democratic incumbent Mack Cormier.

  • The seat includes part of the West Bank and Plaquemines Parish.

Meanwhile, voters approved three of the four constitutional amendments.

  • They rejected one that would have tightened rules for using a statewide emergency fund.

What we're watching: Questions about the future of Louisiana's Democratic party are only going to get louder after Saturday's results.

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