Kennedy passes on Louisiana gubernatorial bid

January 4, 2023

Republican Sen. John Kennedy told supporters Wednesday he will forgo this year’s Louisiana governor race and stay in the U.S. Senate.

Fresh off winning a second term as senator, Kennedy said that he decided after deliberating that “at this juncture, I just think I can help my state and my country more in the Senate.”

“I have passed more bills as the lead author than any first-term senator in Louisiana’s history, but, to be an effective senator, killing bad ideas is just as important as advancing good ones. I’m going to be very busy doing both,” Kennedy said in the message.

Kennedy’s decision marks the second Republican senator to pass on the race, which is a top Republican pick-up opportunity as Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, is term-limited. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) also considered the race but decided to stay in the Senate, citing his new role as top Republican on the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Kennedy is generally more conservative than Cassidy and known for his clever quips on Capitol Hill, whereas Cassidy voted to convict Donald Trump in his impeachment trial and emerged as a key Republican negotiator in the Senate. Kennedy is a bit of a thorn in the side of GOP leaders, never holding back if he’s feeling frustrated with his party’s strategy.

Kennedy would have been a formidable entrant. He just won re-election by more than 40 percentage points, avoiding a runoff.

He also previously looked at the 2019 governors race, which Edwards won. Former Sen. David Vitter, who previously held Kennedy’s seat, lost to Edwards in 2015 and retired from the Senate.

Now with an open seat, Attorney General Jeff Landry is the top declared GOP candidate in the race, though more candidates may be on the way. Republicans are bullish about their chances to flip the otherwise red-leaning state, with the anti-abortion Edwards leaving office.

Louisiana is one of three states that is holding an election for governor in 2023, along with Kentucky and Mississippi.

Zach Montellaro contributed to this report.

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/01/04/john-kennedy-passes-louisiana-gubernatorial-bid-00076455

Kennedy passes on Louisiana gubernatorial bid <body> <h1> Array ( [0] => jennedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [1] => mennedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [2] => lennedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [3] => oennedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [4] => iennedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [5] => kwnnedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [6] => ksnnedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [7] => kdnnedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [8] => krnnedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [9] => k4nnedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [10] => k3nnedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [11] => kebnedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [12] => kemnedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [13] => kejnedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [14] => kehnedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [15] => kenbedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [16] => kenmedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [17] => kenjedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [18] => kenhedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [19] => kennwdy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [20] => kennsdy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [21] => kennddy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [22] => kennrdy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [23] => kenn4dy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [24] => kenn3dy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [25] => kennesy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [26] => kennexy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [27] => kennecy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [28] => kennefy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [29] => kennery passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [30] => kenneey passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [31] => kennedt passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [32] => kennedg passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [33] => kennedh passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [34] => kennedu passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [35] => kenned7 passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [36] => kenned6 passes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [37] => kennedy oasses on louisiana gubernatorial bid [38] => kennedy lasses on louisiana gubernatorial bid [39] => kennedy -asses on louisiana gubernatorial bid [40] => kennedy 0asses on louisiana gubernatorial bid [41] => kennedy pzsses on louisiana gubernatorial bid [42] => kennedy pssses on louisiana gubernatorial bid [43] => kennedy pwsses on louisiana gubernatorial bid [44] => kennedy pqsses on louisiana gubernatorial bid [45] => kennedy paases on louisiana gubernatorial bid [46] => kennedy pazses on louisiana gubernatorial bid [47] => kennedy paxses on louisiana gubernatorial bid [48] => kennedy padses on louisiana gubernatorial bid [49] => kennedy paeses on louisiana gubernatorial bid [50] => kennedy pawses on louisiana gubernatorial bid [51] => kennedy pasaes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [52] => kennedy paszes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [53] => kennedy pasxes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [54] => kennedy pasdes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [55] => kennedy pasees on louisiana gubernatorial bid [56] => kennedy paswes on louisiana gubernatorial bid [57] => kennedy passws on louisiana gubernatorial bid [58] => kennedy passss on louisiana gubernatorial bid [59] => kennedy passds on louisiana gubernatorial bid [60] => kennedy passrs on louisiana gubernatorial bid [61] => kennedy pass4s on louisiana gubernatorial bid [62] => kennedy pass3s on louisiana gubernatorial bid [63] => kennedy passea on louisiana gubernatorial bid [64] => kennedy passez on louisiana gubernatorial bid [65] => kennedy passex on louisiana gubernatorial bid [66] => kennedy passed on louisiana gubernatorial bid [67] => kennedy passee on louisiana gubernatorial bid [68] => kennedy passew on louisiana gubernatorial bid [69] => kennedy passes in louisiana gubernatorial bid [70] => kennedy passes kn louisiana gubernatorial bid [71] => kennedy passes ln louisiana gubernatorial bid [72] => kennedy passes pn louisiana gubernatorial bid [73] => kennedy passes 0n louisiana gubernatorial bid [74] => kennedy passes 9n louisiana gubernatorial bid [75] => kennedy passes ob louisiana gubernatorial bid [76] => kennedy passes om louisiana gubernatorial bid [77] => kennedy passes oj louisiana gubernatorial bid [78] => kennedy passes oh louisiana gubernatorial bid [79] => kennedy passes on kouisiana gubernatorial bid [80] => kennedy passes on pouisiana gubernatorial bid [81] => kennedy passes on oouisiana gubernatorial bid [82] => kennedy passes on liuisiana gubernatorial bid [83] => kennedy passes on lkuisiana gubernatorial bid [84] => kennedy passes on lluisiana gubernatorial bid [85] => kennedy passes on lpuisiana gubernatorial bid [86] => kennedy passes on l0uisiana gubernatorial bid [87] => kennedy passes on l9uisiana gubernatorial bid [88] => kennedy passes on loyisiana gubernatorial bid [89] => kennedy passes on lohisiana gubernatorial bid [90] => kennedy passes on lojisiana gubernatorial bid [91] => kennedy passes on loiisiana gubernatorial bid [92] => kennedy passes on lo8isiana gubernatorial bid [93] => kennedy passes on lo7isiana gubernatorial bid [94] => kennedy passes on louusiana gubernatorial bid [95] => kennedy passes on loujsiana gubernatorial bid [96] => kennedy passes on louksiana gubernatorial bid [97] => kennedy passes on louosiana gubernatorial bid [98] => kennedy passes on lou9siana gubernatorial bid [99] => kennedy passes on lou8siana gubernatorial bid [100] => kennedy passes on louiaiana gubernatorial bid [101] => kennedy passes on louiziana gubernatorial bid [102] => kennedy passes on louixiana gubernatorial bid [103] => kennedy passes on louidiana gubernatorial bid [104] => kennedy passes on louieiana gubernatorial bid [105] => kennedy passes on louiwiana gubernatorial bid [106] => kennedy passes on louisuana gubernatorial bid [107] => kennedy passes on louisjana gubernatorial bid [108] => kennedy passes on louiskana gubernatorial bid [109] => kennedy passes on louisoana gubernatorial bid [110] => kennedy passes on louis9ana gubernatorial bid [111] => kennedy passes on louis8ana gubernatorial bid [112] => kennedy passes on louisizna gubernatorial bid [113] => kennedy passes on louisisna gubernatorial bid [114] => kennedy passes on louisiwna gubernatorial bid [115] => kennedy passes on louisiqna gubernatorial bid [116] => kennedy passes on louisiaba gubernatorial bid [117] => kennedy passes on louisiama gubernatorial bid [118] => kennedy passes on louisiaja gubernatorial bid [119] => kennedy passes on louisiaha gubernatorial bid [120] => kennedy passes on louisianz gubernatorial bid [121] => kennedy passes on louisians gubernatorial bid [122] => kennedy passes on louisianw gubernatorial bid [123] => kennedy passes on louisianq gubernatorial bid [124] => kennedy passes on louisiana fubernatorial bid [125] => kennedy passes on louisiana vubernatorial bid [126] => kennedy passes on louisiana bubernatorial bid [127] => kennedy passes on louisiana hubernatorial bid [128] => kennedy passes on louisiana yubernatorial bid [129] => kennedy passes on louisiana tubernatorial bid [130] => kennedy passes on louisiana gybernatorial bid [131] => kennedy passes on louisiana ghbernatorial bid [132] => kennedy passes on louisiana gjbernatorial bid [133] => kennedy passes on louisiana gibernatorial bid [134] => kennedy passes on louisiana g8bernatorial bid [135] => kennedy passes on louisiana g7bernatorial bid [136] => kennedy passes on louisiana guvernatorial bid [137] => kennedy passes on louisiana gunernatorial bid [138] => kennedy passes on louisiana guhernatorial bid [139] => kennedy passes on louisiana gugernatorial bid [140] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubwrnatorial bid [141] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubsrnatorial bid [142] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubdrnatorial bid [143] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubrrnatorial bid [144] => kennedy passes on louisiana gub4rnatorial bid [145] => kennedy passes on louisiana gub3rnatorial bid [146] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubeenatorial bid [147] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubednatorial bid [148] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubefnatorial bid [149] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubetnatorial bid [150] => kennedy passes on louisiana gube5natorial bid [151] => kennedy passes on louisiana gube4natorial bid [152] => kennedy passes on louisiana guberbatorial bid [153] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubermatorial bid [154] => kennedy passes on louisiana guberjatorial bid [155] => kennedy passes on louisiana guberhatorial bid [156] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernztorial bid [157] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernstorial bid [158] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernwtorial bid [159] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernqtorial bid [160] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernarorial bid [161] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernaforial bid [162] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernagorial bid [163] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernayorial bid [164] => kennedy passes on louisiana guberna6orial bid [165] => kennedy passes on louisiana guberna5orial bid [166] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatirial bid [167] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatkrial bid [168] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatlrial bid [169] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatprial bid [170] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernat0rial bid [171] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernat9rial bid [172] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatoeial bid [173] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatodial bid [174] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatofial bid [175] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatotial bid [176] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernato5ial bid [177] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernato4ial bid [178] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatorual bid [179] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatorjal bid [180] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatorkal bid [181] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatoroal bid [182] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernator9al bid [183] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernator8al bid [184] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatorizl bid [185] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatorisl bid [186] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatoriwl bid [187] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatoriql bid [188] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatoriak bid [189] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatoriap bid [190] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatoriao bid [191] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial vid [192] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial nid [193] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial hid [194] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial gid [195] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bud [196] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bjd [197] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bkd [198] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bod [199] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial b9d [200] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial b8d [201] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bis [202] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bix [203] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bic [204] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bif [205] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bir [206] => kennedy passes on louisiana gubernatorial bie ) </h1> </body>