The legislative session is over, but summer vacation may be far some politicians' minds -- because it is an election year.
Now that lawmakers have finished their business in Baton Rouge, the next big event in state politics is the campaign. University of Louisiana political science professor Pearson Cross says Attorney General Jeff Landry and former transportation secretary Shawn Wilson remain the likely leaders in the governor's race.
"I haven't talked to a single political analyst who doesn't think it's most likely to come down to a runoff between those two people," said Cross.
With the session over, some lawmakers who want to be the next governor will likely lean hard into their campaigns now, including State Senator Sharon Hewitt and State Representative Richard Nelson.
Whether any other lawmakers can take a breather or not all depends on how secure they feel about their chances.
"Now that the session is over, all these people have to run for reelection again, so we're going to hear a lot more about what went on or didn't go on in the session," said Cross. "If you're running for reelection to a position you've held , and you feel pretty confident, then probably you're going to take some weeks off. If you're one of those people that's going to have to work every day between now and election time to have a chance at winning, I imagine you're going to go right into election mode."
Cross says some lawmakers are going to have to explain to their constituents why they did or did not agree to exceed the spending cap, give teachers a permanent pay raise, or add rape and incest exceptions to the state's strict abortion ban.
