Three southern states to hold gubernatorial elections in 2023

Three southern states-Louisiana, Kentucky and Mississippi- will hold gubernatorial elections in 2023. All of them will serve as key indicators to ascertain in which direction the political winds are blowing before the 2024 presidential elections. The last regular elections in the three states were held in 2019, a year before the previous presidential election.

Louisiana

Democrat Edwards already won his second term in the 2019 gubernatorial election and will be ineligible to run for re-election this year due to a term limit set in the Louisiana Constitution. Although there is not yet a Democratic candidate to succeed Edwards, there are already several Republicans who are looking to contest the state governor's office.

Among them is state Attorney General Jeff Landry, who for now is the only Republican candidate who has announced his intention to run, however, others from the same party are expected to join the race. Such is the case of Senator John Kennedy, who is considering running for office. Other Republicans considering running include Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser, Senator Bill Cassidy, Representative Garret Graves, State Senator Sharon Hewitt and State Treasurer John Schroder according to the Lafayette Daily Advertiser.

A "jungle primary" is being held in Louisiana on October 14, in which all candidates will compete regardless of party affiliation. If a candidate obtains at least 50% of the votes, he/she is declared the winner. Otherwise, the candidates with the most votes will proceed to a run-off election on November 18.

No Democrat has officially filed for re-election. But if any candidate runs, he or she would likely face a tough battle, as the last time the state opted for a Democratic governor before Edwards was in 2003.

Kentucky

Andy Beshear will be running for his second term in the Bluegrass State. He won his last gubernatorial election in 2019, where he placed with less than 50% of the vote. The Democrat is running in a state where former President Trump won by more than 25 points in 2020.

Among the Republicans seeking to challenge Beshear are: state Attorney General Daniel Cameron, state Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles, state Auditor Mike Harmon and former U.N. Ambassador Kelly Craft, who served under Trump.

The Republican Party primaries for governor will take place on May 16 and the general election on November 7.

Mississippi

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves will run for his second term in the Magnolia State. In the last gubernatorial election in 2019 he won with nearly 52% of the vote against Democrat Jim Hood, the state's attorney general at the time. Although no Republican has officially announced their intentions to run against Reeve, there is still plenty of time before the August 8 primary election.

Among the Republicans who reportedly could run as potential challengers to Reeves are, state House Speaker Philip Gunn, Secretary of State Michael Watson, state Attorney General Lynn Fitch, former state Supreme Court Chief Justice and former 2019 GOP gubernatorial hopeful Bill Waller Jr.