NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - The number of candidates for Louisiana governor swelled to 16 before qualifying ended Thursday (Aug. 10), as two more Republicans, a Democrat and an unaffiliated hopeful joined the race.
Republicans Stephen Waguespack and Richard Nelson, Democrat Daniel Cole and unlisted party candidate Keitron Gagnon filed paperwork to join the dozen already in the field to replace term-limited Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards.
“If this was LSU football and we lost to every team every year, we would fire the coach, we would fire the trainers, we would even fire the mascot,” said Nelson, a 37-year-old state representative from Mandeville. “But, for some reason in Louisiana, we send the same politicians, running the same plays, year after year.”
Nelson said Louisiana is lagging behind other states, with tax and insurance rates partly to blame.
“Look at states next door to us -- Texas and Florida,” Nelson said. “They don’t have an income tax and they’ve grown six times faster than us in the last 10 years. Everywhere I go, they tell me, ‘Insurance is breaking us. Insurance is breaking us.’”
Nelson said he wants better pay for teachers and more access to early childhood education.
“Making sure that every kid when they walk into kindergarten has started learning how to read, know their colors, know their numbers, know how to play with their friends,” Nelson said.
As far as crime, Nelson said he favors an emphasis on rehabilitation.
“We don’t need to throw more non-violent offenders in jail,” he said. “What we need to do is really reinvest that money and making sure the recidivism-reducing programs get well funded.”
Waguespack said the Louisiana State Police need greater support.
“We’re going to be trying to deploy them to high-crime areas, the best we can, to create that strike unit,” Waguespack said.
He said there’s a post-COVID era juvenile crisis, that mental health is a major issue in schools and that “gangs” targeted kids during the pandemic.
“The gangs know that we do not have the facilities to bring those kids (when arrested), and so it becomes a catch-and-release program,” Waguespack said. “I think (the solution) is investing in more facilities. I think it’s technology. I think it’s paying police, recruiting police and backing them, because that is a high-risk job.
“I will constantly have a robust dialogue with local law enforcement, local victims’ rights groups, local judges, local DAs.”
The 16 qualifying candidates include eight republicans, three democrats, and four independents vying to succeed Edwards as the state’s 57th governor.
INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES:
Benjamin Barnes (Angola), filed Aug. 9
Jeffery Istre (Kaplan), filed Aug. 9
Hunter Lundy (Lake Charles), filed Aug. 8
Frank Scurlock (Metairie), filed Aug 10
REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES:
Patrick Henry “Dat” Barthel (St. Rose), filed Aug. 8
Xavier Ellis (Opelousas), filed Aug. 8
Sharon W. Hewitt (Baton Rouge), filed Aug. 9
“Xan” John (Lafayette), filed Aug. 8
Jeff Landry (Broussard), filed Aug. 9
Richard Nelson (Mandeville), filed Aug. 10
John Schroder (Baton Rouge), filed Aug. 8
Stephen Waguespack (Abbeville), filed Aug. 10
DEMOCRAT CANDIDATES:
Daniel M. “Danny” Cole (Trout), filed Aug. 10
Oscar “Omar” Dantzler Jr. (Hammond), filed Aug. 8
Shawn D. Wilson (Baton Rouge), filed Aug. 8
UNLISTED PARTY:
Keitron Gagnon (Metairie), filed Aug. 10
Related coverage
Landry, Hewitt officially join crowded field for Louisiana governor (fox8live.com)
Qualifying begins: New contenders emerge for governor’s race (fox8live.com)
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