Republican Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said Wednesday he will get constitutional carry gun legislation passed in the state if he is elected governor in November.
"The current governor of this state has vetoed constitutional carry but we’re going in and passing that,” Landry told Breitbart, referring to Democrat John Bel Edwards. “The problems are not the guns; the problems are cultural. The problems are broken families, the problems are poor educational opportunities, the problems are not supporting programs that teach the proper use and handling of firearms.”
Edwards, who is barred from seeking a third term because of term limits, vetoed a constitutional carry bill in June 2021.
“I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, and an enthusiastic outdoorsman and hunter,” Bel Edwards said in a statement at the time. "But I simply cannot support carrying a concealed carry firearm without proper education and safety training – and I believe the majority of Louisianans agree with me. Our current system strikes the right balance of ensuring that people can bear arms while also keeping reasonable permitting and training processes in place.”
Landry, on the other hand, received the endorsement of the National Rifle Association’s Political Victory Fund, receiving a grade of “A+.”
"As Attorney General, Landry has shown unwavering dedication to our Second Amendment rights," NRA-PVF Chairman Randy Kozuch said Sept. 12 in a statement. "From advocating for national concealed carry reciprocity to defending gun owners' rights in landmark cases such as NYSRPA v. Bruen, Attorney General Landry has been a true champion for our cause."
Landry, the front-runner for the Republican nomination in November's election, said at the time he was “humbled” to get the organization’s nod with the GOP primary just three weeks away.
“We are humbled and honored to receive the endorsement of the NRA. As a former police officer, I know how important it is for law-abiding citizens to have the right to self-defense,” Landry said in a statement. As someone who grew up hunting and fishing, I was raised to respect firearms. Our Second Amendment must be protected and as Governor, I look forward to continuing that fight,”
Landry also grabbed the endorsement Wednesday of Republican state Rep. Richard Nelson, who withdrew from the gubernatorial race earlier in the day, The Associated Press reported.
“While this was always going to be a difficult race, I am proud of the impact we made with the resources we had,” Nelson said in a post on X.
Landry told Breitbart that he would be “focused” as governor on strengthening Second Amendment rights in the state.
“I support further strengthening the rights of our citizens, their ability to exercise the Second Amendment of the constitution, and I will be focused on any way that we can strengthen that at the state level,” he told the news outlet.
Charles Kim ✉
Charles Kim, a Newsmax general assignment writer, is an award-winning journalist with more than 30 years in reporting on news and politics.
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