Earlier this month, I penned an article here on The Hayride about the growing disillusionment many “Louisiana First” conservative voters are feeling just fifteen months into Jeff Landry’s tenure as Governor. As Scott McKay pointed out in his article yesterday, that disillusionment stems heavily from Landry’s close ties to Louisiana’s trial lawyers—and from the state’s surging insurance premiums on home, auto, and health coverage.
While insurance reform has become the poster boy of Governor Landry’s tensions with his core conservative base, it’s far from the only mistake that’s caused grassroots frustration. Landry’s support for carving out Louisiana’s 6th Congressional district for Cleo Fields, his refusal to back President Trump’s call for paper ballots in voting, and his push for cementing the Edwards-era “temporary” sales tax hike have been some of the most head-scratching moves of his administration.
Don’t just take my word for it. Go on Twitter/X or Facebook, and you’ll find swaths of grassroots conservatives who don’t feel like they’re winning right now. The discontent is certainly palpable after the failure of Constitutional Amendment 2 last month.
And these aren’t isolated complaints. You’ll find hundreds of similar comments from Louisiana conservatives who feel left out—ignored by the very leadership they helped put in office.
Now, to be fair, there have been some meaningful “Louisiana First” victories this past year. Sensible, tough-on-crime policies have finally begun to slow down the crime wave that ravaged much of the state in 2021 and 2022. And we’ve seen serious strides in education and educational freedom since Landry took office.
That said, the concerns of grassroots conservatives are legitimate—and they need to be addressed.
If you ask me, there is a clear solution to this growing tension between Governor Landry and the base.
The solution: re-engage the grassroots.
I remember back in 2022 and 2023, Jeff Landry had overwhelming support from conservative activists and grassroots voters alike across Louisiana. These people were the backbone of his campaign in the midst of his last term as Attorney General—volunteers who knocked on doors in the summer heat, handed out campaign literature, and spent hours phone banking before the jungle primary in October 2023.
But ever since Landry took office, those same volunteers feel like their voices aren’t being heard.
Governor Landry needs to reconnect with the grassroots groups that carried him to victory. Sure, trial lawyer like John Carmouche and Gordon McKernan may have donated tens of thousands of dollars to Landry’s campaign—but it wasn’t the big donors who got him elected. It was the foot soldiers that put in the work and sweat.
And yet, since the election, they’ve been sidelined.
Fortunately, we’re starting to see fresh momentum among grassroots conservatives who want to revive the “Louisiana First” agenda and keep the pressure on elected officials to deliver. I recently came across a new grassroots coalition called MAGA Louisiana–which brings together several high-profile conservative groups from around the state.
Let’s hope the Landry administration sees the writing on the wall—and starts working with the people who got them here.
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Nathan Koenig is a frequent contributor to RVIVR.com , a national conservative political site affiliated with The Hayride. Follow his writing on the Louisiana First Standard Substack, on Twitter (X) @LAFirstStandard, on Tik Tok @la.first.standard & on Instagram @lafirststandard. Email him here: louisianafirststandard@proton.me