Jeff Landry

Jeff Landry
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Name	Jeff Landry
Office	56th Governor of Louisiana
Term start	January 8, 2024
Predecessor	John Bel Edwards
Office1	44th Attorney General of Louisiana
Term start1	January 11, 2016
Term end1	January 8, 2024
Predecessor1	Buddy Caldwell
Successor1	Liz Murrill
State2	Louisiana
District2	3rd
Term start2	January 3, 2011
Term end2	January 3, 2013
Predecessor2	Charlie Melancon
Successor2	Charles Boustany
Birth name	Jeffrey Martin Landry
Birth date	March 23, 1970
Birth place	New Iberia, Louisiana
Party	Republican
Spouse	Sharon LeBoeuf
Alma mater	University of Louisiana at Lafayette; Loyola University New Orleans College of Law

Jeff Landry is an American attorney and politician serving as the 56th Governor of Louisiana. He previously served as Attorney General of Louisiana and represented Louisiana's 3rd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 2011 to 2013. Landry is a member of the Republican Party known for conservative positions on fiscal, legal, and social issues.

Early life and education

Landry was born in New Iberia, Louisiana and raised in Broussard, Louisiana and Lafayette, Louisiana. He attended Teurlings Catholic High School before studying criminal justice at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and earning a Juris Doctor from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. During his studies he worked in local Iberia Parish legal settings and engaged with regional organizations such as the Lafayette Parish Republican Party and the Louisiana Young Republicans.

Legal and early political career

After law school, Landry practiced as a trial attorney in Lafayette Parish and other Acadiana jurisdictions, litigating in state courts including the Louisiana 15th Judicial District Court. He served as a staff attorney and in private practice, participating in matters before the Louisiana Supreme Court and the Federal District Court for the Western District of Louisiana. Landry entered electoral politics with bids for state offices and was active in alliances with statewide figures from Bobby Jindal's administration circles and conservative networks tied to the Republican National Committee and policy groups such as the American Legislative Exchange Council.

U.S. House of Representatives

In 2010 Landry ran for the open seat in Louisiana's 3rd congressional district and won during a Republican wave that included figures like John Boehner and Mitch McConnell gaining prominence. In the 112th United States Congress he served on committees and aligned with members including Steve Scalise, Jeff Duncan, Joe Barton, and congressional conservative coalitions such as the Tea Party movement. Landry voted on measures relating to federal appropriations, energy policy tied to Gulf of Mexico interests, and disaster recovery linked to storms such as Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane Ike. He ran for the United States Senate in 2012 but withdrew and later pursued statewide office.

Attorney General of Louisiana

Landry was elected Attorney General of Louisiana in 2015, defeating incumbent Buddy Caldwell and emphasizing issues alongside state leaders such as Bobby Jindal and later interacting with governors including John Bel Edwards. As attorney general he led state litigation on matters involving the Affordable Care Act, federal regulatory actions under Barack Obama, energy and coastal litigation involving oil companies and BP claims from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, as well as multistate actions coordinated with attorneys general such as Ken Paxton, Sean Reyes, and Josh Hawley. He oversaw the Louisiana Department of Justice in suits concerning state constitutional questions, criminal appeals in the Louisiana Supreme Court, and consumer protection actions against corporations and insurers.

Governorship

Landry announced a gubernatorial campaign tied to conservative priorities and won the 2023 election, succeeding John Bel Edwards. As governor he has engaged with the Louisiana Legislature, including leaders like Gator Goodwin and statewide actors such as Billy Nungesser and Scott Angelle, and appointed officials across executive departments previously overseen by the Edwards administration. His tenure has involved responses to natural disasters like Hurricane Ida recovery continuations, coastal restoration projects tied to the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, budget negotiations in the Louisiana State Legislature, and interactions with federal agencies including the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Environmental Protection Agency. Landry's administration has also engaged with national figures including Donald Trump allies and Republican governors such as Greg Abbott and Ron DeSantis on regional policy coordination.

Political positions and policies

Landry's positions emphasize fiscal conservatism, regulatory rollback, and law-and-order approaches. He advocates tax policies aligned with Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017-era principles, supports energy development in the Gulf of Mexico and offshore drilling proponents including the American Petroleum Institute, and favors litigation strategies against federal mandates such as those from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Justice when they intersect with state prerogatives. On social policy he aligns with conservative positions supported by groups like the National Rifle Association of America and the Family Research Council; he has taken stances on abortion policy consonant with recent rulings following Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. In criminal justice he has prioritized prosecutorial resources, coordinated with district attorneys across parishes and participated in interstate initiatives on immigration enforcement involving agencies such as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and partnered with governors advocating for stricter border policies such as Greg Abbott. Landry has also focused on coastal restoration and infrastructure funding, interacting with federal legislative delegations including senators like Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy to secure disaster aid and infrastructure appropriations from Congress.

Category:Living people Category:Governors of Louisiana Category:Louisiana Attorneys General Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from Louisiana Category:Louisiana Republicans