CMT News

Sammy Kershaw will run as a Republican candidate for lieutenant governor of Louisiana, he announced Wednesday (June 13) in Kaplan, La., his birthplace. Kershaw, 49, has talked for years about running for statewide office in Louisiana. If elected, Kershaw said one of his priorities will involve "making the entertainment industry a viable source of economic development in Louisiana" and "creating education programs that will train a sustainable labor force for this industry." In making the announcement, he said, "I am not afraid to make difficult decisions. I know that with leadership comes responsibility. For the past 20 years, I have taken care of my employees and their families and have learned that leadership means personal sacrifice. It means putting the needs of others before your own." Louisiana's fall elections, which include races for governor and lieutenant governor, include an Oct. 20 primary and a Nov. 17 general election. Kershaw, who is married to country singer Lorrie Morgan, released his most recent album, Honky Tonk Boots, in June 2006. He filed for bankruptcy in federal court in Nashville in February 2007.