Jeff Landry, Sharon Landry prepare for life as Louisiana's next governor, first lady

Louisiana Gov.-elect Jeff Landry and future First Lady Sharon Landry will take a break from the frantic transition pace for their annual Cajun Thanksgiving gathering of 50 or more family members and friends at the couple's camp in the heart of Acadiana .

"Everybody will bring their specialty dish like oyster dressing and sweet potatoes and we'll provide the turkeys," Sharon Landry said in an interview with USA Today Network. "It's a fun family feast."

The couple has been in a sprint for more almost a year, first in a governor's campaign that the Republican attorney general began in 2022 and then preparing to take office since Landry's Oct. 14 outright win over a crowded field.

He'll take over from two-term Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards following Landry's Jan. 8 inauguration.

Landry said he vividly remembers going to meet with the governor after Edwards' win in 2015. Landry had just won the first of his two terms as attorney general.

"I saw him sitting at his desk and he's got this look on his face that I won't forget," Landry said. "I didn't appreciate that look until (Oct. 14) and now I'm sure his face and mine look the same. It's a lot, and I've never done this before.

"I thought after eight years as attorney general I knew what was under every piece of furniture in the state, but I found out quickly that I didn't."

Landry said he and Sharon are confident about advancing Louisiana during his term, "but we understand the gravity of the responsibility we have," he said.

Landry admits much has changed and will change in the couple's personal life with his new job, though the couple hopes to stay grounded by sharing time at the Governor's Mansion and at their Acadiana home while their son JT Landry lives in a dorm room as a freshman at LSU.

"It puts a bit of a cramp on our personal life, but I'll hold on to the reins while Sharon directs the steering," he said.

And Landry insists he won't give up his frequent trips to the Waffle House, where he said the breakfast food and conversations give him a real world perspective he says serves him well in crafting policy and making decisions.

The couple said it will seek advice and input about family life as governor and first lady from John Bel and Donna Edwards.

Landry and Edwards had an often fractious political relationship during the past eight years, but the Landrys say they admire the Edwards' in many ways.

"(Donna Edwards) has a wealth of knowledge I hope to draw from," Sharon said.

Sharon, who was introduced to the state during the campaign as an integral part of Landry's campaign, said she's looking forward to finding her path as first lady.

"We hope to work side by side as a team; I'd like to do many things rather than focus on a single initiative," said Sharon, who at the moment is coordinating plans for the inauguration day mass, ceremony and black tie ball. "After the inauguration, we'll work to find a good cadence to establish a solid foundation."

Landry said he's mindful the excitement of winning must be channeled toward effective governing moving forward.

"I'm energized because I sense the people's genuine excitement and rejoicing, but it's a huge responsibility," he said. "Now it's time to lead. We're ready."

More: Want to attend Governor-elect Jeff Landry inaugural ball? Here's how the public can go

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Jeff Landry, Sharon Landry prepare for life as governor, first lady