BATON ROUGE, La. — Day two of qualifying saw two more major candidates officially join the race for Louisiana governor.
Senator Sharon Hewitt, a republican from Slidell was the first to qualify on Wednesday.
She touted a unique set of qualifications including mother, grandmother, and petroleum engineer.
So far, she is also the lone woman in the race.
“I’m running for governor for one simple reason to give families a reason to stay in Louisiana, instead of a reason to leave,” Hewitt said
Hewitt accused the perceived frontrunner, Attorney General Jeff Landry of helping the outmigration by siding with coastal parishes in a damage lawsuit against oil and gas companies.
“He has damaged the most important industry in our state, the energy industry and pushed high-paying jobs to Texas by siding with the trial lawyers instead of the oil and gas companies in the coastal lawsuits,” Hewitt said.
Landry downplayed negative criticism from his fellow candidates.
“Well, that’s why they’re probably in single digits,” Landry said. “I’m not worried about what they say.”
The republican AG also officially joined the race for state’s highest office.
Recent polls show Landry leading the field of candidates, followed by former Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson, a democrat.
“As a former police officer and sheriff’s deputy and attorney general for 8 years, there is no one more qualified than me to address crime in this state.
He declined to answer when I asked him for specifics of his plan to fight crime in New Orleans.
After taking just two questions from reporters, Landry walked off the stage.
Hewitt and Landry join three other major candidates in the governor’s race – republican Treasurer John Schroder –former Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson a democrat and Independent Hunter Lundy.
Two more republicans, Richard Nelson and Steve Waguespack are expected to qualify on Thursday.
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