In the latest salvo in the Louisiana governor’s race, the Republican Governors Association (RGA) blasted Democrat Shawn Wilson, a former secretary of transportation and development, for his “failed record on infrastructure” in a 30-second video.
Wilson and Republican state Attorney General Jeff Landry are the top two candidates in this year’s gubernatorial race, according to a WPA Intelligence poll released in April.
“Shawn Wilson failed Louisianans time and time again when it came to delivering better roads and bridges,” Courtney Alexander, the RGA national press secretary, said in a prepared statement. “Under Wilson’s leadership roads got worse, not better, and Louisiana now ranks 49th in the nation for infrastructure. If Wilson can’t fix the roads, he certainly can’t fix Louisiana.”
The Wilson campaign, however, disputed the allegations, arguing that under Wilson’s leadership, the transportation agency invested historic levels of funding into infrastructure, including the replacement of the Interstate 10 bridge in Lake Charles, which spans the Calcasieu River.
“Republicans are on the early offense because their own party is so disjointed,” Wilson campaign manager Brandin Campbell said in a statement emailed to the Louisiana Record. “Their only hope is to try to discredit Dr. Wilson – but voters are tired of misdirection and political divisiveness.”
Wilson said recent roadway improvements include a new four-lane highway linking the town of Bush with Interstate 12 in St. Tammany Parish.
“In 2022 alone, I led the charge to improve about 400 old bridges throughout the state,” he said in a prepared statement. “To date, $2.3 billion in investment has been announced in Louisiana for roads, bridges, roadway safety and major projects.”
The RGA video is another sign that Republican candidates in the race are turning to “vitriol” and “infighting” when the state, according to Wilson, needs a “unifier.”
“Time and again, we have seen Republican candidates for Louisiana governor choose infighting over the people of our great state,” Wilson said. “... These early attacks demonstrate the need for someone who will bring together coalitions and unite our state.”
Louisiana came 49th among the 50 states in terms of infrastructure investment, according to a recent U.S. News analysis.