First major Democrat enters Louisiana governor's race

Ryan King

March 06, 12:55 PM March 06, 12:55 PM

Former Louisiana Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson became the first major Democrat to jump into Louisiana's 2023 gubernatorial race, which has so far been dominated by Republican hopefuls.

Wilson helmed the state Department of Transportation and Development for seven years until stepping down last week ahead of his campaign debut. Incumbent Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) is term-limited and therefore cannot vie for another term.

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“Louisiana needs a governor who will build bridges, not burn them," Wilson declared in an announcement video. "I’m Shawn Wilson, that’s the kind of leader that I’ve been, and that is exactly the kind of governor that I promise to be.”

Former President Donald Trump handily won the Bayou State in the 2020 election, illustrating how it is an uphill battle for Democrats in statewide elections, especially with Edwards blocked from running again.

The other Democrat in the field is pastor and special educator Daniel “Danny” Cole. Other Democrats who were speculated to mount a run, such as East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore III and Louisiana Democratic Party Chairwoman Katie Bernhardt, opted not to.

Meanwhile, the Republican side features Attorney General Jeff Landry, state Treasurer John Schroder, state Sen. Sharon Hewitt, and state Rep. Richard Nelson. The deadline for submitting papers to qualify for the race is between Aug. 8 and Aug. 10.

Under Louisiana law, all candidates run against each other on Oct. 14 in a "jungle" primary. Should all candidates fail to top 50%, then the top two will advance to a runoff on Nov. 18.

Of all the candidates, Landry has the largest war chest, with over $5 million, according to campaign finance documents. He has gained national attention for his lawsuit over alleged Biden administration collusion "to suppress freedom of speech" with major tech companies that targeted former NIAID Director Anthony Fauci.