The Louisiana gubernatorial election of 2011 will be held on October 22, when all candidates will compete in an open jungle primary, and (if no candidate takes more than 50% of the vote in the first round), November 19, when there will be a runoff election between the top two vote getters in the primary. Incumbent Governor Bobby Jindal, a Republican,
announced on August 15, 2010, that he is running for re-election
On December 10, 2008, Jindal indicated that he would not run for president in 2012, saying he would focus on his reelection and that this would make transitioning to a national campaign difficult, though he later attempted to leave himself the opportunity to change his mind in the future.
Ivo "Trey" Roberts is conservative challenging to Jindal.
Tara Hollis is very pro life and is another conservative on the ballot.
The bulk of the other candidates are challenging from the Left. The discussants cited Jindal's decent approval ratings and already in-the-bank $7 million campaign fund as unapproachable assets for Democrats other than Caroline Fayard, who previously sought the office of lieutenant governor in a special 2010 election runoff against Republican secretary of state Jay Dardenne.
History of Louisiana. Information that every Louisiana Election
Candidates for Governor Should Know:
Agriculture: Louisiana is one of the nation's largest producers of cotton, sugarcane, rice, sweet potatoes and pecans. The state is also a major producer of soybeans and corn. The biggest land-based industry in the state is forestry, with an economic impact from paper-making and wood products greater than all other crops combined. Poultry is the largest livestock industry, followed by dairy and beef cattle. Louisiana is also the nation's largest producer of alligator hides and crawfish.
Industry: In 1997, Louisiana's 4,562 manufacturing units employed 191,327 workers whose annual earnings totaled $7,046,381,641. Average weekly wages in manufacturing increased by $44.69, or 6.6%, between 1996 and second quarter 1998. Louisiana's overall employment and number of employees reached record high levels in 1998. The rate of growth in total employment in Louisiana in 1998 increased at twice the national rate of growth of total employment.
Tourism: As Louisiana's second largest industry, tourism employed 110,000 people and generated $7.8 billion in revenue for 1998. The tourism industry took immense pride in the state's historic places, unique arts and crafts, natural re- sources and rich heritage as part of its efforts to accommodate the 25.5 million visitors traveling to Louisiana last year.
Mineral Production: Principal mineral products are petroleum, natural gas, salt which is the largest, sulphur, carbon black and gravel. Louisiana ranks second in the nation in oil production.
