We’ll have more to say about this in coming days, but yesterday afternoon the announcement hit that there’s a newly-formed Louisiana Freedom Caucus. From the press release announcing the new organization…

Conservative Republicans in the Louisiana House of Representatives, today, are announcing the formation of the Louisiana Freedom Caucus (LAFC), a state House legislative caucus supporting open, accountable and limited government, the Constitutions of the State of Louisiana and the United States of America, the rule of law, and policies that support the liberty, safety and prosperity of all Americans.

Working with the State Freedom Caucus Network, Louisiana is the eleventh state to stand up a legislative caucus aligned with the work and policy efforts of the House Freedom Caucus in Washington, D.C.

The Caucus would also like to announce the election of its founding officers: Rep. Alan Seabaugh, Chairman; Rep. Larry Frieman, Vice-Chairman; Rep. Beryl Amedée, Secretary-Treasurer. It is the policy of the Louisiana Freedom Caucus that we do not ever release a list of members. It is up to the individual member to make known his or her LAFC membership.

Chairman Seabaugh released the following statement:

“Louisiana is a great state with great people, great culture and great food, but we have never had great government. It is time for that to change. The Louisiana Freedom Caucus was created to help bring about that change. I am honored to have been elected as the first Chairman and look forward to working with my colleagues to create a better Louisiana.”

Vice-Chairman Frieman released the following statement:

“There is no time like the present to get our state legislature working to protect our people from an out-of-control federal government. I am honored to be a founding member and Vice-Chairman of the newly formed Louisiana Freedom Caucus. Reigning in the federal government will be a high priority.

Secretary-Treasurer Amedée released the following statement:

“State legislatures are our greatest defense against an overbearing, out-of-control federal government. I am proud to stand with the Freedom Caucus to help make reigning in the federal government a priority.”

Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA) released the following statement in support:

“The newly founded Louisiana Freedom Caucus will help unite conservative legislators and advance our mission to support open, accountable, and limited government. As a core member of the House Freedom Caucus, I fully support this effort to bring principled, Constitutionalist leadership to Louisiana’s State Legislature.”

There is already a Conservative Caucus in the Louisiana House, which is chaired by Rep. Jack McFarland, and this is not the same thing.

The analogy which might be most appropriate to describe this is that the Conservative Caucus is akin to the Republican Study Committee, which is supposed to be the conservative wing of the House Republican Caucus, and then there’s the Freedom Caucus which is an outfit which drags the RSC to the right at times. The Louisiana Freedom Caucus might play a similar role in the Louisiana House of Representatives.

Look for this new outfit to take bold stances and lead on conservative policy. How fast it exerts its influence, we can’t say. But it will be heard from, and the structural addition it offers within Louisiana’s legislature is quite likely to lend strength to the conservative movement.