The Louisiana Sheriff’s Association on Wednesday made endorsements in five statewide races, but it failed to reach a consensus on a single candidate to endorse in the races for Louisiana’s next governor and insurance commissioner.
LSA Executive Director Michael Ranatza says none of the four major candidates for governor—Republicans Scott Angelle, Jay Dardenne and David Vitter, and Democrat John Bel Edwards—received the required 33 votes from the 45 sheriffs who cast them during Wednesday’s meeting to get the endorsement. The same was true for those running for insurance commissioner, including incumbent Jim Donelon and Matt Parker, both Republicans, and Democrats Donald Hodge Jr. and Charlotte McDaniel McGehee.
“We reserve the right to look at those races in the future,” Rantaza says. “Of course, at the conclusion of the Oct. 24 primary, I would anticipate that there would be some discussion of that at that time.”
As for whether or not the LSA might take up the endorsements before the primary, Ranatza says, “in all probability, no.”
As previously reported, Vitter was actively seeking the LSA endorsement early last month, speaking personally with some sheriffs and texting even more.
“A later endorsement would be much, much less significant and helpful,” Vitter wrote in a text obtained by LaPolitics and verified as authentic by his campaign.
As for the endorsements made by the LSA on Wednesday, the group is backing Republican Billy Nungesser for lieutenant governor; incumbent Republican Tom Schedler for secretary of state; incumbent Republican Buddy Caldwell for attorney general; incumbent Republican John Kennedy for treasurer; and incumbent Republican Mike Strain for commissioner of agriculture and forestry.
—Steve Sanoski
