NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Still in his second term as an at-large member of the Jefferson Parish Council, Scott Walker announced this week that he plans to run for parish president in three years. If that sounds early, Walker himself agrees.

“Yes, three years may seem incredibly early to some, but really, since the minute I won re-election last October, it’s just been a barrage of questions: ‘What are you going to do next?’ I couldn’t even enjoy the moment of what I did,” Walker says.

The former TV news anchor turned politician is relatively new to politics. In 2019, he defeated longtime Jefferson Parish figure Paul Johnston and scored a decisive victory in 2023 against former Councilman Dominick Impastato.

Walker said announcing his intentions now felt like the right move to address ongoing speculation about his plans after his second term.

“It really wasn’t planned in this way, where it was expected or anticipated in any way. It was just a little announcement,” Walker said.

Current parish president Cynthia Lee Sheng has three years left in office but is term-limited. Walker said her time limit did not affect his decision to announce so early. He also dismissed concerns about how his decision might affect other potential candidates.

“It’s not about anybody else. It’s not about how it affects anybody else or the field or anything like that. It’s what I wanted to do and how it affects me going forward,” Walker said.

Dr. Ed Chervenak, a political analyst and professor of political science at the University of New Orleans, said it is unusual to announce this early.

“It seems a little on the extreme side to announce this early that you will pursue this particular office,” Chervenak said.

While early announcements do not guarantee success, they can have strategic advantages, according to Chervenak. He pointed to Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, who announced his gubernatorial bid a year before the 2023 election. The state’s Republican Party made an early and controversial move to endorse Landry, fending off other candidates.

“Basically, the party communicated to potential opponents that they were not going to get any funding from the party, that they were going to put all their eggs in one basket with Governor Landry. So that was an effective strategy,” Chervenak said.

Meanwhile, in New Orleans, the buzz surrounding next year’s mayoral race is growing. City councilor Helena Moreno is the first high-profile candidate to announce her bid. Councilman Oliver Thomas has told Fox 8 he is considering a run but has not decided.

While early announcements can create momentum, Chervenak noted that what really matters in politics is being the last one standing.

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