2016 United States Senate election in Louisiana
The 2016 United States Senate election in Louisiana took place on November 8, 2016, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Louisiana, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
Under Louisiana's "jungle primary" system, all candidates appeared on the same ballot, regardless of party, and voters could vote for any candidate. Since no candidate received a majority of the vote during the primary election, a runoff election was held December 10 between the top two candidates in the primary, Republican John Neely Kennedy and Democrat Foster Campbell. Louisiana is the only state that has a jungle primary system.
Incumbent Republican Senator David Vitter unsuccessfully ran for Governor of Louisiana in the 2015 election, losing to Democrat John Bel Edwards. In his concession speech, Vitter announced that he would not seek re-election.
In addition to Kennedy and Campbell, four other candidates — Republicans Charles Boustany, John Fleming, and David Duke, and Democrat Caroline Fayard — qualified to participate at a debate at Dillard University, a historically black college, on November 2, 2016.
On November 8, Kennedy and Campbell finished in first and second respectively and thus advanced to the runoff, which was held December 10. In the runoff, Kennedy won the election with over 60% of the vote.
Candidates
Republican Party
Declared
- Charles Boustany, U.S. Representative
- Donald "Crawdaddy" Crawford, business appraiser
- Joseph Cao, former U.S. Representative and candidate for Louisiana Attorney General in 2011
- David Duke, former State Representative, former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan and perennial candidate
- John Fleming, U.S. Representative
- John Neely Kennedy, state treasurer, nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2008 and Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2004
- Rob Maness, retired United States Air Force Colonel, and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014
- Charles Marsala, financial advisor and former mayor of Atherton, California
Withdrew
- Abhay Patel, businessman
Declined
- Scott Angelle, Public Service Commissioner, former Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana, and candidate for governor in 2015
- Jay Dardenne, Louisiana Commissioner of Administration, former Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana and candidate for governor in 2015
- Melinda Schwegmann, former lieutenant governor of Louisiana, former state representative, and candidate for governor in 1995
- Zach Dasher, pharmaceutical representative, cousin of the Robertson family and candidate for LA-05 in 2014
- Brett Geymann, former state representative
- Clay Higgins, former St. Landry Parish Sheriff's captain
- Paul Hollis, state representative and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014
- Bobby Jindal, former Governor of Louisiana
- Vance McAllister, former U.S. representative and candidate for the state senate in 2015
- Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, former state representative and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2002
- Eric Skrmetta, Public Service Commissioner
- David Vitter, incumbent U.S. Senator and nominee for governor in 2015
- John Young, former president of Jefferson Parish and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2015
Democratic Party
Declared
- Foster Campbell, Public Service Commissioner, former State Senator, candidate for governor in 2007 and for LA-04 in 1980, 1988 and 1990
- Derrick Edwards, attorney and disability rights activist
- Caroline Fayard, attorney and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2010
- Gary Landrieu, building contractor, candidate for the New Orleans City Council in 2012, candidate for LA-02 in 2012 and 2014 and cousin of former U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu and New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu
- Vinny Mendoza, USAF Ret. Veteran, organic farmer and 1st CD candidate in 2004, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014,
- Josh Pellerin, businessman
- Peter Williams, tree farmer, candidate for LA-06 in 2014 and Independent candidate for LA-05 in 2013
Declined
- Jim Bernhard, president of Bernhard Capital Partners, founder and former CEO of The Shaw Group and former chairman of the Louisiana Democratic Party
- Don Cazayoux, former U.S. Representative and former United States Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana
- John Georges, businessman, candidate for governor in 2007 and candidate for Mayor of New Orleans in 2010
- Kip Holden, Mayor-President of East Baton Rouge Parish and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2015
- Robert Johnson, state representative and candidate for LA-05 in 2013
- Eric LaFleur, state senator
- Mary Landrieu, former U.S. Senator
- Mitch Landrieu, Mayor of New Orleans and former Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana
- Charlie Melancon, former U.S. Representative and nominee in 2010
- Jacques Roy, Mayor of Alexandria
- Gary Smith, Jr., state senator
Libertarian Party
Declared
- Thomas Clements, Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014
- Le Roy Gillam, minister
Independents
Declared
- Beryl Billiot, restaurateur and candidate for governor in 2015
- Troy Hebert, former commissioner of the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control and former state senator
- Bob Lang, candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010 and candidate for governor in 2011
- Kaitlin Marone, stand-up comedian
- Gregory Taylor, unemployed janitor
- Arden Wells, perennial candidate
Jungle primary
Debates
Endorsements
Polling
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ResultsMapsRunoffPolling
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