Landry Wins Second Term as Louisiana DA
Incumbent Don Landry defeated former judge Kristian Earles in the 15th Judicial District attorney race on November 3, 2026.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Criminal Justice
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Don Landry won a second six-year term as 15th Judicial District attorney, receiving 55% of the vote to Kristian Earles's 45%. Voter turnout was 34.7%.
Why it matters
The race followed an FBI search of the district attorney's office in May 2022 over its pretrial diversion program and the September 2025 federal conviction of former Assistant District Attorney Gary Haynes. Earles challenged Landry amid criticism over those events.
Gary Haynes was convicted by a federal jury in September 2025 on six counts tied to a bribery scheme involving the district attorney's pretrial diversion program. Landry testified at trial under a use-immunity agreement with federal prosecutors.
The players
Don Landry
Don Landry is the 15th Judicial District attorney in Louisiana who was elected in 2020 after 34 years as an assistant district attorney and won re-election in 2026.
Kristian Earles
Kristian Earles is a former Louisiana district judge who spent 23 years on the bench before resigning to challenge Landry for district attorney.
The details
Landry, who was elected district attorney in 2020 after 34 years as an assistant district attorney, suspended the employee involved in the diversion program issue and said he personally reviews every certificate of completion. Earles spent 23 years as a district judge before resigning to run, and Landry said he plans to serve the full term.
Timeline
May 2022: FBI agents searched the district attorney's office as part of the pretrial diversion investigation.
September 2025: Former Assistant District Attorney Gary Haynes was convicted on six federal counts.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026: Election held; Landry won a second term.
Legal Context
The result follows the May 2022 FBI search of the district attorney's office over its pretrial diversion program, a case that ended in a federal bribery conviction for former prosecutor Gary Haynes. Voters in the 15th Judicial District, which covers Lafayette, Acadia and Vermilion parishes, returned Landry to office despite that scrutiny.
Residents of Lafayette, Acadia and Vermilion parishes will have the same district attorney's office handling prosecutions for another six years. The office's pretrial diversion program, which Landry says he now reviews personally, remains a central local issue.
The takeaway
Voters in the 15th Judicial District weighed a federal bribery case against an incumbent's record and chose continuity. Those tracking local prosecution can follow how the diversion program is reviewed over the coming term.
Further reading
Explore more Criminal Justice coverage from across Louisiana to see how prosecutorial oversight is playing out elsewhere in the state.
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