Attorney General Jeff Landry and State Treasurer John Schroder were among the first major candidates to make a splash in the 2023 gubernatorial race.

With other well-known officials sitting this one out, there's a sense that someone else could catch on and put together a competitive campaign—someone like State Senator Sharon Hewitt or State Representative Richard Nelson.

"I think that some one like me who is younger, who's got the energy, can tackle the issues that some might say it's not worth the fight to do this," Rep. Richard Nelson said.

"Don't promote me because I'm a female, promote me because I outworked everybody and I deserve to be here," Sen. Sharon Hewitt said.

The two are joining a somewhat thin field. Many political observers expected U.S. Senator John Kennedy and Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser to get in the race, but they didn't. 

Hewitt and Nelson each say no one recruited them to run, though they say they've received a lot of encouragement from donors.

"No, I would not say there was any one person or one entity that did that. But lots of encouragement and we're certainly feeling a lot of positive vibes," Hewitt said.

"I care a lot about the state. I say I'm not running for the next four years. I'm working for the next 40 years, right?" Nelson said.

What about the pair of St. Tammany Republicans trying to compete against two members of their own party with statewide name recognition already? Both say their time in the Legislature has laid a good foundation.

"We're not exactly starting at ground zero. We're feeling a lot of momentum in this campaign, a lot of excitement. I think voters deserve choices, I think I am someone that will run a very competitive campaign," Hewitt said.

At 36 years old, Nelson says his age is an advantage.

"Social media is so pervasive. Everybody checks it all the time. I think it's a really good way to reach a lot of people for relatively little money. It's a great equalizer, I think, in campaigns," Nelson said.

While the new additions to the race are starting to build a deeper Republican roster, Democrats have yet to find a single candidate to carry their banner in the October primary.