Gov. John Bel Edwards congratulates Jeff Landry on winning governor's seat

FILE – Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards speaks about the investigation into the death of Ronald Greene in Baton Rouge, La., Feb. 1, 2022. The Democratic governor blocked a package of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation from becoming law Friday, June 30, 2023, including the state’s version of a “Don’t Say Gay” bill and a ban on gender-affirming medical care for transgender youths. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton, File)

by: Trinity Velazquez

Posted: Oct 16, 2023 / 08:14 AM CDT

Updated: Oct 25, 2023 / 02:41 PM CDT

Editor’s note: The primary election date has been corrected. We apologize for the error.

BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – Gov. John Bel Edwards has congratulated Jeff Landry after he was declared the winner to be Louisiana’s next governor.

Edwards said in a statement Sunday, Oct. 15, that Landry ran a “winning campaign focused on uniting the people of Louisiana across political and social divides and addressing important kitchen table issues.”

Landry won the governor’s race in Louisiana’s primary election on Saturday, Oct. 14. Landry’s win will mark the first time a Republican has held the seat in eight years. According to complete but unofficial results on the Secretary of State’s website, Landry won with 547,828 votes.

Read the full statement from Edwards below.

“Congratulations to Governor-Elect Jeff Landry. He ran a winning campaign focused on uniting the people of Louisiana across political and social divides and addressing important kitchen table issues. In my experience, that’s the best way to govern. A smooth transition of power following an election is a core tenet of American democracy. My staff and I will ensure the incoming administration has every opportunity to be ready on day one. Donna and I wish Jeff and Sharon success and strength as they take on the challenging, rewarding roles of governor and first lady.”
Gov. John Bel Edwards

“Sharon and I appreciate Governor Edwards and First Lady Donna’s statement. We agree that a smooth transition of power is a core tenet of American democracy,” Landry said on social media.