Louisiana Voice

Whether Jim Henderson was pressured or not into his decision to retire in December is irrelevant at this point. What’s important is that the pending vacancy at the top at the Ruston university presents some interesting possibilities for both Gov. Jeff Landry and Rep. Julia Letlow, provided she defeats Jamie Davis on Nov. 3.

We’re not saying this will happen, but the possibility for the scenario is certainly open for speculation.

In 2020, Letlow was passed over in her bid to be named president of the University of Louisiana Monroe, just 30 miles from Ruston, where she had worked since 2018 as director of external affairs and strategic communications.

Win or lose in November, she could conceivably become the next president of Tech, but winning would be better for Landry.

Should she be victorious in her campaign to succeed Sen. Bill Cassidy, but suddenly resign, it would leave the Senate seat vacant to be filled by gubernatorial appointment until a special election could be held.

Landry could lean on the University of Louisiana Board to appoint Letlow before he then appoints himself to the Senate seat. After all, the smart money is already saying he’s a one-term governor, so why not promote himself and then run in the special election as an incumbent? A win-win for all concerned.

Of course, should Davis pull an upset similar to what John Bel Edwards did in 2015 when he came out of nowhere to defeat Sen. David Vitter in the governor’s race, Letlow could still have an outside shot at the Tech job but as damaged goods, she would not be a lock for the job.

And Landry? He’d still be governor—a disappointed one, but still governor, nonetheless.

Yeah, I know, the whole thing sounds far-fetched but stranger things have happened in Louisiana politics, which is second only to football as a spectator sport.