Jeff Landry Bio
Jeffrey Martin Landry (born December 23, 1970) is an American politician and attorney serving as the 57th governor of Louisiana since 2024. A Republican, he previously served as the 45th attorney general of Louisiana from 2016 to 2024 and represented Louisiana’s 3rd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2013. Before entering law and politics, Landry spent eleven years in the Louisiana Army National Guard, worked as a police officer and sheriff’s deputy, and built a career as an attorney and businessman.
As a statewide elected official, Landry has championed conservative positions on criminal justice, education, and social issues. He is recognized for his combative style, frequent legal challenges against state and federal policies, and a policy agenda shaped by his Catholic faith and limited-government principles.
Early Life and Background
Jeffrey Martin Landry was born on December 23, 1970, in St. Martinville, Louisiana, to Al Landry, an architect and businessman, and Edna (née Bienvenu) Landry, a teacher at Trinity Catholic School in St. Martinville. He is the eldest of four children. Landry grew up in a family rooted in south Louisiana’s Acadiana region, where Cajun heritage, faith, and small-town civic life shaped his early years.
Landry graduated from St. Martinville High School, where he played wide receiver on the football team. After high school, he held a series of jobs, including work as a sugarcane farm laborer, a police officer for the village of Parks, and a St. Martin Parish sheriff’s deputy. While still in high school, he enlisted in the Louisiana Army National Guard, ultimately serving eleven years and earning the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Louisiana War Cross.
Path to US Politics
Landry’s transition from law enforcement and military service to public life began with his education. He earned a Bachelor of Science in environmental science from the University of Southwestern Louisiana, now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, in 1999. He then attended Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, where he received his Juris Doctor in 2004.
His first foray into electoral politics came in 2007, when he ran for Louisiana’s 22nd Senate district. He narrowly lost to Troy Hebert, then a Democratic state representative, by a margin of 51% to 49%. Despite the defeat, the campaign positioned Landry within conservative networks in south Louisiana and set the stage for his successful congressional bid three years later.
Jeff Landry Career
Early Career (2007–2010)
After his narrow loss in the 2007 state Senate race, Landry continued practicing law and engaging in Republican politics across south Louisiana. He positioned himself as a conservative voice on energy, gun rights, and limited government, building relationships with grassroots organizations and figures aligned with the Tea Party movement that was gaining momentum nationally.
In 2010, Landry entered the race for Louisiana’s 3rd congressional district after Democratic incumbent Charlie Melancon left the seat to run for the U.S. Senate. He won the Republican nomination in an October 2 runoff, defeating former Louisiana House Speaker Hunt Downer by a wide margin, and went on to win the general election that November, beginning his tenure in the U.S. House.
U.S. House of Representatives (2011–2013)
Landry served a single term in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2013. During his tenure, he became known as a vocal advocate for the oil and natural gas industry, frequently criticizing the Obama administration for what he described as anti-energy policies. He drew national attention in September 2011 when he held up a sign reading “Drilling=jobs” during President Obama’s joint address to Congress.
After the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Landry opposed the liability cap on BP while supporting the Gulf Hurricane Protection Project. Following federal-court-ordered redistricting after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, his district was redrawn, and he was drawn into the same district as fellow Republican Charles Boustany. Landry lost the December 2012 runoff to Boustany, 60.9% to 39.1%, ending his congressional career after one term.
Attorney General of Louisiana (2016–2024)
On February 24, 2014, Landry announced his challenge to incumbent Attorney General Buddy Caldwell, a Democrat-turned-Republican. He won the 2015 election and took office as the 45th attorney general of Louisiana in 2016. During his tenure, Landry positioned himself as one of the most politically active attorneys general in the country, frequently suing the federal government and clashing with Governor John Bel Edwards.
Landry was reelected on October 12, 2019, by roughly a two-to-one margin. In 2018, he was elected to a one-year term as president of the National Association of Attorneys General. His tenure included lawsuits challenging federal vaccine mandates, joining multistate efforts against the Affordable Care Act, and filing an amicus brief in support of the Texas attorney general’s attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election results, an effort the U.S. Supreme Court quickly rejected.
Governor of Louisiana (2024–Present)
On October 14, 2023, Landry won the Louisiana gubernatorial election outright in the primary, securing 52% of the vote and avoiding a runoff. He was endorsed by former President Donald Trump and the Republican Party of Louisiana. He took the oath of office on January 8, 2024, as the 57th governor of Louisiana.
Since taking office, Landry has signed legislation reversing parts of the 2017 criminal justice reforms, eliminating parole, expanding execution methods to include nitrogen hypoxia and electrocution, and allowing the carrying of concealed handguns without a permit. In June 2024, he signed a law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom, a measure that is currently blocked by the courts on Establishment Clause grounds. He also signed a redistricting bill creating a second Black-majority congressional district in compliance with a federal court order.
Notable Events and Milestones
Landry’s tenure as governor has been defined by high-profile legal battles, including the state’s first execution in fifteen years, carried out in March 2025 by nitrogen hypoxia, and the state’s rejection of federal vaccine mandates. He drew bipartisan attention for his response to the 2025 New Orleans truck attack and for invoking emergency powers to clear encampments ahead of Super Bowl LIX, actions that generated significant public debate.
Jeff Landry Career Wins
Landry’s political career includes a congressional victory in 2010, two statewide wins as attorney general in 2015 and 2019, and a decisive gubernatorial victory in 2023. Each of these wins reflected growing Republican dominance in Louisiana and Landry’s ability to consolidate conservative support across the state.
Electoral Highlights
Landry’s first major electoral win came in 2010, when he claimed Louisiana’s 3rd congressional district. He followed this with a 2015 victory over incumbent Attorney General Buddy Caldwell and a commanding 2019 reelection by a two-to-one margin. In 2023, he became only the second Republican governor elected to the office in modern Louisiana history, winning the primary outright with 52% of the vote against a divided field.
Other Wins & Achievements
Beyond electoral victories, Landry has won major legal battles, including a December 2016 ruling striking down Governor Edwards’ executive order protecting gay and lesbian employees of state contractors. He also won a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court case supporting First Amendment rights for student-led prayer in public schools, and in 2021 he was named president of the National Association of Attorneys General.
| Position | Wins | Year |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. House of Representatives, Louisiana’s 3rd District | 1 | 2010 |
| Attorney General of Louisiana | 2 | 2015, 2019 |
| Governor of Louisiana | 1 | 2023 |
Jeff Landry Family
Family Background and Personal Roots
Landry was raised in St. Martinville, Louisiana, the eldest of four children born to Al Landry, an architect and businessman, and Edna (née Bienvenu) Landry, a longtime teacher at Trinity Catholic School. His Acadiana upbringing, steeped in Cajun culture and Catholic faith, has remained central to his political identity. His brother, Nicholas Landry, publicly criticized his stances on LGBTQ issues, highlighting the personal dimensions of some of the policy debates Landry has shaped.
Personal Life
Landry is married to Sharon Landry (née LeBlanc), and the couple has one son. The family practices the Roman Catholic faith. Landry’s personal and professional life has been shaped by his years in the Louisiana Army National Guard, his law enforcement background, and his deep ties to south Louisiana communities.