Jon Bel Edwards has not been kind to Lady Louisiana in his time as Governor.  More taxes, more spending, expanded government welfare programs, promoting gender confusion and fear of climate change, destroying the state’s health, education, and economy through his COVID policies, and all the rest of it – the election of 2023 for a new Governor can’t come soon enough.

Or can it?

Conservatives/Republicans have an easy electoral win waiting for them, but as we have seen time and again, they are great at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.  And if they are not careful, it could happen in 2023.  Jeff Sadow describes the nightmare scenarios:

If just Schroder and Nungesser, or even adding Landry, as major candidates Nungesser at present enjoys the best position. Presumably Landry or Schroder would knock one another out in the blanket primary/general election, or Schroder if no Landry would advance, to join him in a runoff, where in that scenario Democrats join enough Republicans to put him over the top in a rerun of the 2019 election except with the winner sporting a different party label.

But things go sour quickly for the Lt. Governor if a quality Democrat, especially a white one, enters the race. If Landry doesn’t jump in, with only Schroder on the solid right, Nungesser probably doesn’t even make the runoff, so if a Democrat tosses in his hat Nungesser has to hope Landry enters and that’s enough to split the GOP vote while he fights off a good chunk of his potential voters sloughing off to the Democrat. And Nungesser is history if each of a quality white and black Democrat contest, for then it won’t be a matter of trying to prevent a Republican-Democrat runoff with Nungesser on the outside, but stopping a Landry-Schroder runoff that ought to send every Democrat operative in the state scurrying to discourage quality Democrats from entering the fray.

Louisiana does not need a Schroder-Landry grudge match that weakens one or the other as he goes into office, or worse that allows Lt Gov Nungesser to ride into the Governor’s Mansion.  What we need is something from the Southern political tradition:  a gentlemen’s agreement that sees one bowing out of the Governor’s election for the good of the State.

Edwards has left Louisiana in tatters; we need the best man possible to take over in 2023 to help heal and rebuild our state.  Both Landry and Schroder have done good things while in their respective offices, but Mr. Landry looks like the stronger choice, the one with the fire in the belly necessary to institute needed reforms, while Mr. Schroder has shown he is capable of making bad decisions (see his record on taxes and spending per Mr. Sadow’s article above).

This being so, our gentlemen’s agreement for Landry and Schroder would have Schroder agreeing to withdraw from the Governor’s election, staying on as Treasurer, and giving his full support to Landry.  In 2026, when the traitorous Sen. Cassidy is up for re-election, Schroder would enter that contest, with the full backing of a Gov. Landry.

We cannot emphasize how important such an agreement would be.  Christianity is on the decline; poll after poll confirms this.  A Christian example of cooperation from our political leaders would be helpful in slowing or reversing that decline in Louisiana.  The alternative is the godless Hobbesian and/or evolutionary model of brutal competition, in which the image of God in man is obscured and beastliness emphasized.

We would rather have the Christian vision for Louisiana, concord and cooperation between Schroder and Landry:

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore (Psalm 133).

How long has it been since we have seen Christian statesmen who put their faith into action by sacrificing their desires and their comfort and their whole lives in order to glorify God, like these senators from Roman times?

The holy Martyrs Bassos, Eusebios, Eutychios and Basileides lived during the reign of Emperor Diocletian (284-305), and suffered martyrdom in 303. They were wealthy and members of the Senate. They came to believe in Christ and were baptized after witnessing the martyrdom of Bishop Theopemptos of Nicomedia (January 5), who endured with spiritual bravery the horrible tortures to which the pagans had had subjected him.

The idolaters denounced these men as Christians and brought them before the emperor because they refused to worship the gods of the pagans. The Saints showed no fear whatsoever, but boldly proclaimed their faith in Christ and their eagerness to follow the path which would lead to martyrdom.

In the Synaxarion it is stated that the martyrs removed their belts, the symbols of their rank, and then each of them submitted to severe tortures.

Saint Bassos was buried in the ground up to his waist, and his upper body was cut to pieces. Saint Eusebios was suspended head downwards, and his limbs were cut off with axes. Saint Eutychios was tied to four poles by his hands and feet, and he was pulled apart. Saint Basileides was stabbed in the stomach with a knife.

It has been far too long.

Louisiana does not share the weak executive tradition of the English that other States do; she has inherited the French tradition of a strong executive – in other words, the fate of Louisiana is tied up in large measure with the character of the Governor.  May we all – politicians and voters – do everything we can to get the best man into that office, and may this prayer be ever on the lips of him and of all the rest of us for the sake of our la Louisiane (via the prayer book printed by St Tikhon’s Monastery):

O Lord Jesus Christ, eternal God, who within time hast become perfect man from the womb of the Virgin: from thy heavenly throne hearken to our prayer for this land. Prepare it for us as a temporal homeland such that we may easily and safely travel therefrom to our true homeland with thee. Give strength to thy people and bless them with peace. As Joseph prospered when he sojourned in Egypt, so prosper the Orthodox Church and her leaders during our sojourn in this land. Adorn our earthly rulers with the faith of Ehud, the hope of Barak, the steadfast trust of Jephthah, the holiness of Samuel, the prudence of Moses, the meekness of David, the wisdom of Solomon, the courage of Hezekiah, the zeal of Josiah, and the nobility of Zerubbabel.

Correct the laws of this land to guide aright men’s deeds and so make their hearts upright, and let us no longer shed innocent blood and be putrid with it, defiling ourselves with the works of darkness. Make our households to be like flocks of sheep, and our children like olive trees around our table. Go forth, O God, with our armed forces, protecting those that serve in them by the power of thy Cross. Grant peace to our cities, towns, and countryside, and by thy mighty right hand and wisdom support and guide the police and all those charged with enforcing the law. Enlighten with the true light of the Gospel the minds of all educators of this land, to whom we commend the instruction of ourselves and our children. Send us rain and sunshine, and also snow and wind from thy storehouses, all in due season. Make our harvests bountiful and multiply them to feed the poor of our land and of the whole world. Make honest the scales of the merchants and bankers, and make the earthly economy of this land ever more to reflect, even as in a mirror darkly, the supernal economy of thy Father. Guide aright the hands of all doctors, nurses, and other healers in this land, and grant that they may employ their arts for the sake of health and life in this world leading unto true life and salvation, and not for the sake of death and the devil.

Have mercy and strengthen our bishops and priests ever to offer prayers at evening, morning, and noonday, and to serve the holy Liturgy in righteousness and purity, so that all who repent and turn to thee may partake of thy Flesh and Blood and so become one Body with thee in thy holy Church. Bless our monasteries and those who dwell there, and multiply in our land them that aspire to the angelic life on earth. Hearken, Lord Jesus, and we shall give thanks to thy holy Name and bless thy wondrous works, proclaiming them with rejoicing. For thou art the Son of the heavenly Father who rulest also the seas and the dry land, and thine is the dominion, together with the same Father and thine All-holy Spirit, our King and Comforter. Sweet is thy mercy, O Lord, from age to age. Amen.