Gary Beard to Run Against Mitch Landrieu

A Republican state lawmaker from Baton Rouge announced Monday he will challenge incumbent Democratic Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu in the Oct. 20 election. State Rep. Gary Beard, 51, was elected to the state House in 2001, representing East Baton Rouge Parish. Beard has introduced bills to ban cloning and "partial birth" abortion in Louisiana. Landrieu, a Democrat from New Orleans, will seek re-election. Beard said Louisiana needed to make a change in direction. He described himself as a "pro-family" candidate who supports smaller government and lower taxes — areas not under the discretion of the lieutenant governor. The lieutenant governor is Louisiana's tourism chief, overseeing the state Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism. Beard framed the lieutenant governor's job as more than just the head of the state's tourism efforts, saying it's about "an office which is next in line to the governor."