Attorney General Jeff Landry’s top attorney, Liz Merrill, is running to replace her boss, who is a candidate for governor.
Merrill, 59, was a former solicitor general for the office that required her to represent the attorney general before the U.S. Supreme Court and other federal and state courts.
Prior to that, Merrill held senior legal positions in the administration at the time. Bobby Jindal, including serving as his executive advisor.
“I have legal experience and life experience,” Merrill said, noting that she is a mother of four boys. “I’ve been a study mom, a Boy Scout leader, a school and church volunteer, and I’ve handled large deals and lawsuits.”
She runs with Landry’s support.
However, Merrill’s style is several decibels below Landry’s bombastic style.
“I’m someone who likes to dig deep and evaluate issues,” Merrill said. “Sometimes it’s risky to think that you’re the hammer and everything is the nail.”
Murrill joins a field that includes two Republicans — state Rep. John Stefanski of Crowley and Marty Maley, a lawyer and former prosecutor for the Diocese of West Baton Rouge — and John Belton, the district attorney of Lincoln and Union Parish. , he is a political independent.
Like other candidates, Merrill said the biggest issue is solving crime in Louisiana.
However, the Attorney General’s ability to fight crime is limited. The attorney general typically serves as Louisiana’s top prosecutor, representing the state in various legal disputes.
First elected in 2015, Landry pursued a political fight favored by supporters of former President Donald Trump.
“Excessive federal interference is also a priority for me,” Merrill said, citing how Landry, along with other attorneys general, won a court order preventing the Biden administration from banning offshore oil and gas operations in federal waters. lease.
The last time Merrill was asked to file campaign finance reports nearly a year ago, he had $304,000 on hand, compared with $228,000 for Stefanski, $87,000 for Belton and $1,000 for Marley.
Campaign finance reports that will show fundraising in 2022 are due next month.
