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 First round parish results Runoff parish resultsTreen: 20–30% 30–40% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Lambert: 20–30% 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Fitzmorris: 20–30% 30–40% 40–50% Hardy: 20–30% 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% Henry: 20–30% 30–40% 40–50% Mouton: 40–50% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The1979 Louisiana gubernatorial election was held on December 8, 1979. Incumbent GovernorEdwin Edwards was ineligible to run for a third term, making it the only gubernatorial election in Louisiana between1972 and1991 to not feature Edwards as a candidate. In the race to succeed him,Dave Treen narrowly defeatedLouis Lambert to become the first Republicangovernor of Louisiana since theReconstruction Era.
This was the second gubernatorial election held after the adoption of theLouisiana primary in 1975, and the first to require a runoff (officially called the general election).[1] In the primary election held on October 27, Treen and Lambert finished first and second, respectively, to advance against a field of Democratic candidates including Lieutenant GovernorJimmy Fitzmorris, Secretary of StatePaul Hardy, speaker of the Louisiana HouseE. L. Henry, and state senatorSonny Mouton.
Elections in Louisiana—with the exception of U.S. presidential elections—follow a variation of the open primary system called thejungle primary or thenonpartisan blanket primary. Candidates of any and all parties are listed on one ballot; voters need not limit themselves to the candidates of one party. Unless one candidate takes more than 50% of the vote in the first round, a run-off election is then held between the top two candidates, who may in fact be members of the same party.Texas uses this same format for itsspecial elections. In this election, the first round of voting was held on October 27, 1979. The runoff was held on December 8, 1979.[2]
On election night, the race for second place was too close to call between Lambert and Fitzmorris. Lambert declared victory the following Wednesday. Fitzmorris filed a lawsuit to contest the election, citing voting irregularities.[3]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | David Treen | 297,674 | 21.79% | |
| Democratic | Louis Lambert | 283,266 | 20.74% | |
| Democratic | Jimmy Fitzmorris | 280,760 | 20.56% | |
| Democratic | Paul Hardy | 227,026 | 16.62% | |
| Democratic | E. L. Henry | 135,769 | 9.94% | |
| Democratic | Edgar G. "Sonny" Mouton, Jr. | 124,333 | 9.10% | |
| Democratic | L.D. Knox | 6,327 | 0.46% | |
| Democratic | Ken Lewis | 5,942 | 0.44% | |
| Socialist Workers | Greg Nelson | 4,783 | 0.35% | |
| Total votes | 1,365,880 | 100.00% | ||
Following the results of the first round, Henry and Mouton endorsed Treen. Lambert alleged that their endorsements had been secured in exchange for payment of their campaign debts; Henry, Mouton and Treen each denied the charge.[4]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | David Treen | 690,691 | 50.35% | |
| Democratic | Louis Lambert | 681,134 | 49.65% | |
| Total votes | 1,371,825 | 100.00% | ||
State of Louisiana.Primary and General Election Returns, 1979.
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