Mary-Louise Landry

**Mary-Louise Landry** (née **Richardson**; born June 27, 1957) is an American politician and lawyer serving as the junior U.S. Senator from Louisiana since 2004. A member of the Republican Party, she served as Secretary of State of Louisiana from 2000 to 2004, and as a member of the New Orleans City Council, representing Division 1 of the at-large district, from 1998 to 2000.

Born in Metairie, Louisiana, Landry graduated from St. Martin's Episcopal School in 1975. Afterwards, she moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to attend the University of Alabama, and later transferred to Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana during her sophomore year. She graduated from Tulane in 1979, with a degree in English. After graduating, Landry moved to Nashville, Tennessee to attend Vanderbilt University Law School, graduating with her law degree in 1982. After gradating, Landry returned to Louisiana and worked as a corporate attorney in New Orleans. She left her job as an attorney in 1998, to pursue a career in politics.

Landry began her political career in 1998, being elected to the New Orleans City Council, representing Division 1 of the at-large district. Landry was the sole Republican serving on the city council during her tenure. She served for two years, before announcing her candidacy for Secretary of State of Louisiana in 1999. She went on to win the Republican nomination, and later easily won the general election. Landry served one-term as Secretary of State, before being appointed to the United States Senate by Governor John Dupree to replace Hamilton Meyer, who had just died, in 2004. She completed Meyer's term in 2006, and was later reelected for subsequent terms in 2006, 2012, and 2018.

## Early life and family

Landry was born on June 27, 1957 in Metairie, Louisiana to parents Nicholas (1930–2007) and Mabel Richardson (née *Theodore*; 1934–2009). Her Mississippi-born father worked as an attorney, while her mother was a housewife and socialite in New Orleans social circles. Landry comes from an English background, and was raised in the Southern Baptist church. She is the eldest of three children; her younger siblings include Eleanor, born  (1960-03-22) March 22, 1960 (age 63), and Thomas, born  (1962-07-16) July 16, 1962 (age 61).

## Education and law career

Landry attended private schooling growing up. She began her education in 1961, attending St. Martin's Episcopal School, a private coeducational school affiliated with the Episcopal Church. Landry began high school at St. Martin's in 1971, where she participated in choir, school musicals, and was an honors student. Landry graduated from high school in 1975, where she was elected prom queen by her classmates. After graduating, Landry moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to attend the University of Alabama as a music education student. After one semester, Landry switched her major to English. She transferred to Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana for the beginning of her sophomore year, and graduated from Tulane in 1979.

After finishing her undergraduate degree, Landry moved to Nashville, Tennessee to attend Vanderbilt University Law School. She graduated with her law degree in 1982. After completing her law degree, Landry returned to New Orleans and was admitted to the Louisiana State Bar Association. Shortly afterwards, she began working as a corporate attorney in New Orleans. She became a partner at her firm in 1990. Landry left her law career in 1998, after beginning a career in politics.

## Political positions

*Main article: Political positions of Mary-Louise Landry.*

## Personal life

Landry began dating business executive Devin Landry in 1980, after meeting in Nashville, Tennessee. They became engaged after a year of dating, and married the following year in Tennessee. After their marriage and Mary-Louise's graduation from law school, they returned to Louisiana, where they had both been raised. They have three children together: Sabrina, born  (1986-08-17) August 17, 1986 (age 37), Nicholas, born  (1987-11-20) November 20, 1987 (age 36), and Elena, born  (1991-02-12) February 12, 1991 (age 32).

The family owns two homes: a four-bedroom townhouse in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C., and a six-bedroom house in the Garden District neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana. Landry is a practicing Southern Baptist; her husband converted to Baptism from Roman Catholicism prior to their marriage.