Republican Stephen Waguespack and two political action committees supporting him in the Louisiana governor’s race will report raising more than $3 million during the past four weeks, an announcement designed to make a splash in a crowded GOP field.
Campaign finance reports are due April 17, but Waguespack and the consultant for the two PACs agreed to release their totals earlier to USA Today Network.
“I have said this from the day I announced – this is a movement to restore and rebuild Louisiana into a state where our children and grandchildren can thrive,” Waguespack said in a statement. “I got into this race because I couldn’t sit on the sideline while our state was hurting. Louisiana deserves a governor that will fight for great schools, safer communities, more economic opportunities, and put the people over politics. I’m humbled by all the support I have received and look forward to embarking on this great Louisiana comeback together.”
Waguespack has raised more than $900,000 in his personal campaign account, while the PACs Delta Good Hands and Reboot Louisiana have combined to raise $2.23 million, consultant Lionel Rainey said.
So far Republican Attorney General Jeff Landry has lapped the field with more than $5 million cash on hand entering 2023. That doesn’t include another $1.5 million from a political action committee supporting his candidacy or the $350,000 from the Louisiana Republican Party, which issued an early endorsement of Landry.
Landry’s total is certain to rise in the next report.
Here are previous totals for the other leading Republicans out of the gate: Treasurer John Schroder, $2.4 million cash on hand; Slidell state Sen. Sharon Hewitt, $617,875 cash on hand (includes a $200,000 loan from Hewitt to her campaign); and Mandeville state Rep. Richard Nelson, $197,346 cash on hand.
Waguespack, former president of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry and former Gov. Bobby Jindal’s chief of staff, announced his candidacy March 9.
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Independent Hunter Lundy, a wealthy attorney from Lake Charles, is also running.
Former Louisiana Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson is the only Democrat to announce. He has the backing of Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards, who endorsed Wilson Tuesday. Edwards is term-limited and can’t run again in this cycle.
Qualifying for the Oct. 14 primary election is Aug. 8-10.
Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.
