Earlier this week, some big news came out of Louisiana’s higher education system. The UL System Board of Supervisors named current state Sen. Mike Reese the next president of McNeese State University. McNeese needed a new president after its former president, Dr. Wade Rousse, became the head of the Louisiana State University System last year.

With the looming departure of Sen. Reese from the Legislature, Louisiana First conservatives have a perfect opportunity to add another authentically conservative leader to the state Senate. That leader is none other than House Freedom Caucus member and fellow writer here on The Hayride Rep. Chuck Owen.

Owen has served as one of the most consistently conservative legislators in the Louisiana’s House of Representatives over the past six years. He has stood up for the people of Louisiana through a number of key votes—including 1) NOT to bust the spending cap in 2023, 2) protecting health freedom from government overreach, and 3) supporting pro-life legislation.

Besides his solid voting record, Owen is popular with the people of House District 30—garnering over 85% of the vote in his reelection campaign in 2023. His local popularity alone makes him a strong candidate in a potential race for the vacancy in Senate District 30.

Fortunately, it looks like Owen is interested in seeking the imminent vacancy in the state Senate. Here is a pertinent post that he shared earlier this week:

On a similar note, one of the most rewarding articles Owen has published on The Hayride came in November of 2025. In it, he explained why he became a member of the Louisiana Freedom Caucus and what the group stands for.

The following excerpt should remind us why Louisiana needs Owen in the state Senate:

“The Louisiana Freedom Caucus is a strong element of how I function now. Our team members are not flawless — not one of us. We all come from different parts of the State, but we have one goal in mind — representing our citizens well and remaining true to the principles of good government.

The Freedom Caucus defends and stands up for each other, and that should never be forgotten. We are honest, we stand for what is right, and we work for our constituents.

I said all that to say this: We in the Louisiana Freedom Caucus take our oaths of office as legislators seriously. We work hard and we defend each other. We are also organized. Bad things still happen, and we have to be on guard ALL the time. But we stand for what is right—every day. And, by the way, we stand with each other.”

State government needs more conservative fighters, and let’s hope that Rep. Chuck Owen can fill the role.