LAFAYETTE, La. (AP/KADN) — State Sen. Sharon Hewitt visited Lafayette this week after announcing that she is running to become Louisiana’s governor, making her the third Republican to enter this year’s race.
Hewitt, an engineer and a former oil and gas executive, was first elected to the legislature in 2015. She joins State Treasurer John Schroder and Attorney General Jeff Landry among the major candidates to have entered the contest to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards.
Although the state Legislature is dominated by Republicans, Louisiana is the only Deep South state with a Democrat for governor, opening a huge opportunity for the GOP hoping to take hold of the position. With nine months to go until the election, no Democrats have entered the race yet.
Hewitt is hoping to become the second female governor in state history and has highlighted her experience holding leadership roles in historically male-dominated roles. The Slidell resident was one of the first women to work on an offshore drilling rig and became one of the first female executives in a major oil and gas company, Shell.
Hewitt currently serves as chair of the Republican Legislative Delegation and chair of the Senate and Government Affairs Committee.
