BATON ROUGE (AP) — After months of campaigning, all four major candidates for governor signed up Tuesday for the Oct. 24 ballot in the opening hours of the three-day qualifying period.
U.S. Sen. David Vitter, a Republican and front-runner in the race, officially added his name to the ballot before heading back to Washington, where Congress was returning from its August recess.
Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle and Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne, both Republicans, and Democratic state Rep. John Bel Edwards, each had campaign events scheduled after they qualified for the governor's race.
Gov. Bobby Jindal, seeking the GOP presidential nomination, is term-limited and can't run for re-election. That creates the first wide-open race for the seat in eight years.
The governor's race also attracted two lesser known candidates who have done little to no fundraising.
The election sign-up period runs for three days, ending Thursday.
With Dardenne seeking to move up to the governor's mansion, that also creates a heated competition for the state's No. 2 job. Three Republicans have paid their fees to be on the ballot for lieutenant governor: state Sen. Elbert Guillory; former Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser; and Jefferson Parish President John Young.
One Democrat is announced for that race, Baton Rouge Mayor Kip Holden. He has not formally qualified yet.
Incumbents in the other five statewide offices — attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, insurance commissioner and agriculture commissioner — have all drawn announced opponents, though few have well-financed challengers.
The attorney general's race is expected to be a tight contest with Republican incumbent Buddy Caldwell facing a challenge from former GOP Congressman Jeff Landry. Also in the race is Port Allen attorney Marty Maley, another Republican. All three men officially signed up for the ballot Tuesday.
As always, questions remain about whether any surprise, last-minute candidates will jump unexpectedly into one of the statewide races.
Candidates seeking the top jobs on the ballot — including governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, treasurer and insurance commissioner — must pay their qualifying fees and file their paperwork at the Secretary of State's office in Baton Rouge. That's also true of candidates for the eight elected seats to the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Those running for state legislative seats or local elections sign up with their parish clerk of court.
– by AP Reporter Melinda Deslatte
