The endorsement process has been a sore point for the LAGOP for decades and one that has haunted its reputation, particularly amongst major state donors who shower federal and statewide candidates with financial support, but largely refrain from investing in the state party.

The donor class simply didn’t want their money going to consultants and candidates who were “favored” amongst party influencers as opposed to “favorites” to win.

The two means by which a party can regain trust amongst the funders are by electing honest, politically competent, and able leaders and through the implementation of sound, reasonable policies that moves major decisions from being made arbitrarily to a transparent and fair process.

In 2023 I proposed a slew of bylaw amendments covering everything from financial controls to policing conflicts of interest to endorsement procedures.

When these proposals were up for a hearing in the LAGOP’s Rules Committee, they were killed within seconds without even having the titles read aloud. Those who did the deed celebrated the maneuver.

If you were to review the LAGOP’s bylaws you’ll see under Article XV Endorsements that there’s not a single process or procedure spelled out, only a mention that the RSCC COULD adopt such rules.

The absence of written rules means the RSCC rulers rule.

This could’ve and should’ve been handled long ago but those in charge had no inclination to do so.

Prior to the adoption of the closed primary for federal and select state races in 2024, the RSCC was told by its advocates that we would no longer be in the endorsement business as Republican voters would directly choose the nominees.

To ensure that the LAGOP lived up to its word, I introduced a resolution in 2025 declaring that the RSCC would not endorse candidates in the closed primaries.

My intention was to let candidates know well in advance that the LAGOP would not meddle in the election so they could plan their candidacies accordingly.

Another goal was to take pressure off RSCC members, few of whom have held public office, as I figured they’d be aggressively hounded by the candidates and their consultants.

I pointedly warned the LAGOP leadership about this happening yet they overwhelmingly voted to reject this well-intentioned proposal and obligate closed primary supporters to live up to their word (spoiler alert- they didn’t).

And for much of 2026 party officers and RSCC members unaccustomed to being squeezed were subjected to a great deal of consternation.

Several months later the LAGOP finds itself once again in an even more uncomfortable bind operating off of a hybrid of unwritten “traditions” and arbitrary decision making.

In the Sixth District, the State GOP endorsed State Senator Blake Miguez over fellow Republican State Senator Rick Edmonds, before going back and issuing a joint endorsement of both.

I serve with both stalwart conservatives in the legislature and couldn’t understand the need to bless one over the other.

The difference between Miguez and Edmonds is more like that of J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio than a choice between Ted Cruz and Mitt Romney.

Both would have a very conservative voting record on Capitol Hill with the primary distinctions between them being signature legislative accomplishments and life experience.

Things are even more complicated in the 5th District where there are three Republican legislators and the Republican Board of Regents chairwoman, with the LAGOP endorsing the latter.

Once again there wouldn’t be much deviation on the conservative congressional voting score between the four, though this one is trickier.

Passed over by the party were the Chairman of the House of Representatives Republican caucus, the legislator who successfully overturned then-Governor John Bel Edwards’ veto on a prohibition on sex change surgeries for minors, and a senator with a record of military service and leader on agricultural issues, an area of great importance in the rural 5th District.

Misty Cordell, who has served on the RSCC for two terms, received the party nod.  Cordell understood what passes for an endorsement process and navigated through it.

Was there a better system for doing this?

Yes, but the RSCC voted to kill a written, transparent process.

And ironically some of those same people who celebrated the defeat of reform-oriented endorsement proposals are screaming bloody murder because the outcomes didn’t play out the way they thought.

And in lieu of having that Pogo moment of self-recognizing who the true culprits are, some have lashed out at Republican Governor Jeff Landry, i.e. the man single-handedly responsible for the LAGOP having their lights for the past three years.

Talk about biting the hand that feeds the mouth- and pays the water bill!

All of this acrimony could’ve been avoided by the Louisiana Republican Party’s governing body years ago by adopting formal endorsement policies and procedures.

Chastising Governor Landry is particularly ludicrous as he’s the only one left paying to keep the LAGOP’s doors open.