Landry defeats Downer in GOP runoff for 3rd District

New Iberia lawyer Jeff Landry handily won the Republican nomination Saturday in the 3rd Congressional District and heads to the general election.

Landry defeated former state House Speaker Hunt Downer after a months-long, attack-laden battle and will face Democrat Ravi Sangisetty in the Nov. 2 election for the seat representing all or parts of 13 southeast Louisiana parishes.

“Let’s enjoy tonight because tomorrow we must get right back on the campaign trail and start working to defeat the liberal policies destroying our nation,” Landry said in his election night speech to supporters, according to a transcript provided by his campaign.

With all votes tallied, Landry had 65 percent of the vote, and Downer had 35 percent, according to the Secretary of State’s office.

The race results were largely expected after Landry fell fewer than 200 votes short of victory in a three-candidate field for the August primary. He was considered the favorite heading into the runoff and picked up the backing of much of the Republican Party hierarchy over Downer, of Houma, who was criticized for his decades-long Democratic past.

Only Republicans could vote in the GOP runoff.

Landry thanked Downer “for the views we share on some of the critical issues.” But Downer indicated he didn’t intend to endorse Landry for the general election, saying, “I’ve always said the endorsement that counts is the endorsement of the people. I encourage the citizens to look at the candidates and decide who is best for them.”

Downer had hoped his get-out-the-vote efforts and support of the third-place contender in the August primary, Kristian Magar, would edge him to victory. Magar didn’t endorse Downer outright, but posted a Facebook entry saying he would vote for Downer and suggesting Landry’s campaign resorted to dirty campaign tactics and bullying to gain support.

Little distinguished the platforms between Downer and Landry. Both claimed conservative credentials and slammed federal spending and liberal leadership in Washington. They supported tea party platforms and opposed almost anything backed by President Barack Obama.

With few differences in policy statements, the two spent much of their time and money on campaign mudslinging that only intensified heading into the runoff, with a series of attack ads on radio and TV and websites launched to slam each other.

“My opponent just spent the entire time trashing me. I think the attacks did resonate with people,” Downer said, though he said the attacks against him were untrue.

The men accused each other of misrepresenting their military service and of lying about policy positions, their backgrounds and each other.

Downer claimed Landry repeatedly changed his position on abortion, misused his campaign funding, bought a tea party organization endorsement and faked a set of poll results that showed him ahead by more than 30 points.

Landry’s campaign called Downer’s attacks a desperate bid for a failing campaign, and they hammered him for his Democrat past.

Downer, a retired National Guard major general, held a seat in the state House for 28 years, switching parties in 2001 near the end of his legislative career. After that, he worked as a legislative lobbyist for Democratic former Gov. Kathleen Blanco and was Blanco’s pick to be the state’s first veterans affairs secretary. He has never been elected to office as a Republican.

Landry, who has never held public office but worked as an aide to a former state senator, touted his Republican background throughout his candidacy.

The 3rd District seat was left open when Democrat Charlie Melancon decided to run for the U.S. Senate against incumbent U.S. Senator David Vitter, R-La.