BY MATTHEW ALBRIGHT | Staff writer When Jeff Landry won the race for governor outright on Saturday, not everyone saw it coming. Most political observers expected he'd take first place, but even some on his campaign were caught off guard that he won big enough to avoid a runoff. We took a deep dive into the numbers to explain why the race turned out how it did. And here's a look at the first steps Landry is taking to prepare to lead the state. ExxonMobil's giant Baton Rouge plant is one of the biggest engines of our region's economy. That's why most local elected officials don't protest when they approve millions of dollars in tax breaks and economic incentives. Some are pushing those leaders to put that money under scrutiny, however. Here's how school funding, in particular, plays into the debate. 115 votes. That's all the margin that kept Livingston Parish Sheriff Jason Ard in office on Saturday night, in a race where more than 35,000 people voted. But now his challenger, Brett McMasters, is asking for a recount. Here's what's going on, and what it could mean. |