@lagopvictory - Tumblr Blog

LAGOP Endorses John Schroder for State Treasurer

The Republican Party of Louisiana, today, announced its official endorsement of John Schroder for Louisiana State Treasurer.

“John Schroder is running a fantastic campaign highlighting his conservative fiscal principles,” Republican Party of Louisiana Chairman Roger Villere said. “The Republican Party of Louisiana and I encourage all conservatives in Louisiana to unite and vote for John Schroder in November.”

John Schroder has exhibited a dedication to public service throughout his life, serving as a special agent in the United States Army, and as a Louisiana narcotics agent. Representing his St. Tammany Parish based district in the State House of Representatives since 2007, John Schroder has been a fighter for our conservative values. Louisiana voters have recognized this selfless dedication and have selected John Schroder to be the Republican candidate in the runoff for State Treasurer.

A vocal opponent to increasing taxes on Louisiana taxpayers, John Schroder has led the charge against Governor John Bel Edwards’ liberal tax and spend policies. John Schroder has been one of several leaders to push for an overhaul of the entire tax system for Louisiana and a more streamlined budgeting process.

“Louisiana is at a crossroads when it comes to its spending habits,” said Villere. “We need someone that we can trust to oversee taxpayer money and shout from the rooftops when it’s being doled out in an irresponsible manner. John Schroder is the fiscal watchdog that we need overseeing Louisiana’s Treasury Department.”

“John Schroder’s record and actions are a clear indication of how well he will serve the people of Louisiana as State Treasurer,” said Chairman Villere. “Republicans in Louisiana recognize the importance of the office of State Treasurer; and we know John Schroder will lead the office with honesty, integrity, and conservative principles.”

“With voter turnout, this past weekend, at less than 14%, and with the New Orleans mayoral runoff on the same November ballot, it is imperative that Republicans show up to vote on November 18th,” said Chairman Villere. “We are less than 3 weeks away from the start of the early voting period, and this election is too important for Republicans to stay home and take for granted. Republicans must encourage their friends and family members to get out and vote.”

Early voting begins on November 3rd and ends November 11th.

LAGOP Chairman Congratulates Dr. Craig Greene

Republican Party of Louisiana Chairman Roger Villere issued the following statement congratulating Dr. Craig Greene on winning the election for Public Service Commissioner:

“As a first time candidate, Dr. Craig Greene ran a tremendous race, winning outright, defeating two former state representatives. Dr. Greene has led a life of service and the voters of Louisiana responded to his genuine desire to serve.

“Louisiana Republicans congratulate Public Service Commissioner-elect Greene on his victory and look forward to working with him in the years ahead.” - LAGOP Chairman Roger Villere

LAGOP Chairman Congratulates John Schroder

Republican Party of Louisiana Chairman Roger Villere issued the following statement congratulating former State Representative John Schroder on making the run-off in the election for State Treasurer:

“John Schroder has been a strong voice for fiscal responsibility in Louisiana and will be an asset to Louisiana taxpayers as State Treasurer. I urge all conservatives to unite to elect John Schroder to the office of State Treasurer, on November 18th." - LAGOP Chairman Roger Villere

Statement from LAGOP Chairman Roger F. Villere, Jr.

"I want to express my appreciation to the people of Louisiana for the tremendous outpouring of support and prayer for Congressman Steve Scalise and his family this morning.

Steve is a champion for freedom, one of the great leaders to come from among our ranks. We have every expectation that Steve will make a full recovery.

Meanwhile, please continue to pray for Steve, his wife, Jennifer, and their children. Additionally, please pray for the other victims and their families.

Thank you."

Call your Representative to Say "Thanks" for Defeating Gas Tax

House Republicans have defeated the proposed tax increase on gasoline today. Proponents have pulled the bill and will not pursue passage this session. Please call your state representative today and say "thanks" for the House killing the gas tax. You may also want to congratulate her/him for the House's passage of a "standstill" budget, which serves as a complete shift of direction at the Capitol, one that puts our state firmly on the road to fiscal recovery. Too often, we call our legislators only to urge them to vote a certain way or to complain about how they voted, but fail to say "thanks" when they get it right. So I am asking each of you today to call your state representative to congratulate her/him for the success we are seeing in the House of Representatives this session. The House switchboard number is (225) 342-6945. Thank you very much. Roger F. Villere, Jr. Chairman

URGENT ALERT: LAGOP Opposes Amended Gasoline Tax Bill

Please call your state representative at (225) 342-6945 and urge her/him to vote AGAINST any version of a gasoline tax increase. A vote on the House floor is expected on Wednesday. Proponents of the gas tax are planning to reduce the tax increase proposal from 17 cents per gallon to 10 cents per gallon. "Ten cents per gallon in additional gasoline taxes is completely unacceptable," said Roger F. Villere, Jr., Republican Party of Louisiana Chairman. "The hard working people of this state are not willing to pay two dollars more every time they fill up their car--for the rest of their lives," Villere said. "State government spending is out of control. Until Gov. Edwards and the Legislature address constitutional and statutory dedications in a comprehensive manner, I urge the Legislature to not give the governor one more penny in additional taxes," Villere said. "With the gas tax hike running on fumes, now is the time to kill this tax," he said. CALL YOUR LEGISLATOR TODAY! Tell her/him that you oppose any increase in the gas tax. House Switchboard: (225) 342-6945 Governor John Bel Edwards increased taxes by more than $1.5 billion in 2016, more than in any other state in the nation. Louisiana's working families and retirees are hurting, and now is not the time to be taking more money out of people's pockets.

Republicans Pass "Standstill" Budget and Fully Fund TOPS

Baton Rouge- Republican lawmakers in the House Appropriations Committee successfully amended and passed HB 1, the state's spending plan, on a 17-5 party-line vote. House Appropriations Chairman Cameron Henry (R- Metairie) provided a package of amendments that transformed the bill to a "standstill" budget, freezing state spending for next year at the current year's level, with the exception of some constitutionally mandated increases.

This budget accounts for spending 97.5% of estimated revenues, and is intended to avoid another mid-year deficit. In committee this morning, Representative Blake Miguez (R- Erath) pointed out that budgeting in this conservative manner actually helps to protect healthcare and higher education funding, helping to avoid a special session to address a mid-year deficit, where these two entities would be put on the chopping block.

Representative Franklin Foil (R- Baton Rouge) provided an amendment to HB 1 that fully funded TOPS. Governor Edwards' initial budget failed to fully fund TOPS to the tune of 82 million dollars. This amendment passed 19-5, with the nays coming exclusively from the Democratic members of the committee.

"The standstill budget that was passed out of committee today is the first step towards solving Louisiana's spending problem. I commend the Republican legislators for their efforts to freeze state spending and to ensure Louisiana keeps its promise to our high school students."- LAGOP Chairman Roger Villere

LAGOP Congratulates Mayor-elect Nic Hunter

Republican Party of Louisiana Chairman Roger Villere issued the following statement congratulating Mayor-elect Nic Hunter in Lake Charles. "Nic Hunter has been an effective conservative leader in Calcasieu Parish. The citizens of Lake Charles have rewarded him by electing him as Mayor. Louisiana Republicans congratulate Mayor-elect Hunter and look forward to working closely with him in the years ahead." - LAGOP Chairman Roger Villere

LAGOP Congratulates State Representative-elect Raymond Crews

“This is a seat formerly held by Congressman Mike Johnson, one of the most conservative voices in the legislature in recent years. Raymond Crews will also be a dependable vote for conservatives in the Louisiana Legislature. I congratulate Representative-elect Crews on his victory. We look forward to working with him to oppose the reckless tax and spend policies that are constantly being put forth by the Edwards administration.“ - LAGOP Chairman Roger Villere

LAGOP Statement on the Defeat of Governor Edwards' Commercial Activity Tax

The Republican Party of Louisiana released the following statement from Chairman Roger Villere upon the failure of Governor Edwards' keystone tax bill:

"Today is a great day for the taxpayers of Louisiana. Governor John Bel Edwards' disastrous Commercial Activity Tax (CAT) has failed to pass out of committee. After two days of testimony on the tax, the governor failed to gain any sense of support and opted to pull the bill. I commend the Republican members of the House Ways and Means Committee for standing up against the governor and his tax and spend agenda. Governor Edwards ran on not raising taxes. I'm glad Republicans are helping him keep his word."

"We are now in year two of Governor Edwards' administration. There has been a clear failure of leadership from his office to address Louisiana's spending problem and the collapsing business climate of the state. The governor must stop raising taxes on our job creators and end his encouragement of litigation against our oil and gas industry. We cannot tax our way into prosperity. We must grow our economy."

HB 6 to Exempt Louisiana Residents from Obamacare Penalties

The Republican Party of Louisiana released the following statement from Chairman Roger Villere regarding HB 6 by Representative Paul Hollis (R- Covington):

"As the Trump Administration continues to fight for the repeal of Obamacare in Washington, Republicans in Louisiana are joining in on the fight with House Bill 6 by Representative Paul Hollis (R- Covington). In concert with President Trump's Executive Order pertaining to Obamacare, HB 6 would exempt Louisiana residents from the penalties imposed by Obamacare for failing to obtain or maintain health insurance coverage. In addition, HB 6 requires the heads of executive branch departments and agencies to request waivers from the penalty provision of Obamacare. HB 6 is scheduled to be heard before the House Insurance Committee this Wednesday, April 26th. I encourage all Republican lawmakers and activists to support this measure by Representative Hollis."

Click here to view HB 6 in it's entirety.

Exxon Mobil Chooses Texas over Taxes

Baton Rouge – This morning Exxon Mobil announced a multibillion dollar investment in San Patricio County, Texas. The petrochemical plant will be the site of the world's largest ethylene cracker plant, and will provide the building blocks for polyester, anti-freeze, plastic bottles, and food packaging to emerging global markets. The San Patricio County site was selected over two potential sites in the state of Louisiana. This is yet another major win for Texas and a loss for Louisiana.

Once completed, the new investment will produce 600 new full time jobs, 3500 indirect jobs, as well as countless jobs during the construction of the plant. It is expected to generate more than $22 billion in economic output during construction and more than $50 billion in its first 6 years of operation.

Republican Delegation Chairman Lance Harris (R-Alexandria) said, “This is a sad day for Louisiana. What was once an attractive state for the oil and gas industry has now become a beacon of instability. The coastal lawsuits were a major warning sign that the legal environment is only getting worse. Talk of major tax changes that will cripple businesses in the state was likely the final straw.”

An owner of a small oil and gas service company, Representative Blake Miguez (R-Erath) said, “I hope this will serve as a wake-up call that we are sending a clear message that Louisiana is closed for business. This is a major disservice to the great companies that have always been here serving our communities as well as to our citizens working in the oil and gas industry. They rely on a stable environment for their livelihood.”

Jason Doré leaving LAGOP to accept Trump Administration appointment

Republican Party of Louisiana Executive Director Jason Doré will be moving his family to the nation's capital to serve as an official in the administration of President Donald J. Trump.

Doré, who is currently the longest-serving state party executive director in the nation, will be resigning effective March 31st to accept his new position.

“We’ve experienced great success over the past six years with Jason Doré’s leadership,” LAGOP Chairman Roger Villere said. "We wish him every success in serving President Trump and our nation."

Bo Staples, the Republican Party of Louisiana Political Director, will serve as the interim Executive Director. Staples is a veteran of several state and local political campaigns and the Republican Party of Louisiana.

Doré's tenure has been marked with incredible success. Since becoming Executive Director in 2011, the Party has broken fundraising records, raising more than $11 million for its candidates, and shattered registration records by increasing the number of registered Republicans by more than 140,000 voters. In addition, the Party has seen a 40% increase in the number of elected officials and gained majorities in both chambers of the Louisiana Legislature for the first time since Reconstruction. Eight of nine statewide elected officials are currently Republicans.

Dore's emphasis on voter outreach included more than 5,000 volunteers, 200,000 volunteer hours, 4 million phone calls, 5 million pieces of direct mail and more than 1.5 million doors knocked over six years. In addition, the state Party's social media following has increased more than 10-fold.

In the past year, the Republican Party of Louisiana has seen its presidential candidate, Donald J. Trump, receive more votes than any candidate in Louisiana history and secured 5 of the 6 congressional districts for the GOP. The Party also soundly defeated the Democrat governor's hand-picked candidate for U.S. Senate when U.S. Senator John Kennedy triumphed in December 2016.

Doré, a graduate of the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication and the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center, is a native of Lafayette, Louisiana. He began his career in politics at the age of 7 knocking doors for President George H. W. Bush with his mother, Cindy.

Another "All-Republican Night" in Louisiana

Republican Party of Louisiana Chairman Roger F. Villere, Jr. issued the following statement on the outcome of this evening's election to fill three House seats.

"Joe Stagni has been a dependable conservative voice on the Kenner City Council, and will be a dependable voice for Republicans in House District 92 and across the state. We look forward to working closely with Joe to tackle the problems that face our great state.

"It is a tremendous victory that a conservative Republican like John Stefanski won in House District 42, a district that Democrats have dominated for decades--one that contains the hometown of many of the leaders of the modern Louisiana Democrat Party like John Breaux, Chris John and Edwin Edwards.

"The inability of the Democrat Party to recruit a Democrat candidate to run in this district is yet another indicator of the Louisiana Democrats’ empty bench, even in areas of the state they recently dominated. As Governor Edwards looks to use the next three years of his term to raise taxes and implement policies contrary to the values of the vast majority of Louisiana voters, we are looking forward to continuing to expose their lack of a bench in 2019 when several similar legislative seats will be open due to term limits.

"John Stefanski will be a dependable vote for conservatives in the Louisiana Legislature. We look forward to working with John to oppose the reckless tax and spend policies that are constantly put forth by the Edwards administration." - LAGOP Chairman Roger Villere

"We're thrilled that 2 Republicans have made the runoff in House District 8. This is a district vacated by now Congressman Mike Johnson, a steadfast conservative. We congratulate Raymond Crews and Robbie Gatti." - LAGOP Chairman Roger Villere

With these two Republican wins and an all-Republican runoff in House District 8, Republicans will hold 61 seats, Democrats will hold 41 seats, and 3 seats will be held by Independents. Republicans will soon hold a two-thirds majority in the Louisiana House of Representatives."

LAGOP Statement on Judge Neil Gorsuch's Hearing Today

The Republican Party of Louisiana released the following statement from Chairman Roger Villere regarding Judge Neil Gorsuch’s hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee:

“In his hearing today, Judge Neil Gorsuch proved why he is the perfect choice to serve on our nation’s highest court. His deep understanding of the law, principled judicial approach, and gracious character were on full display, receiving widespread support. That the Democrats tried and failed to land a single punch shows their continued opposition is nothing more than political posturing on Judge Gorsuch.”

Elbert Guillory to Lead Louisiana Republican Outreach

The Republican Party of Louisiana has named Elbert Guillory to lead its outreach effort in traditionally non-Republican communities. Guillory, who has previously served both in the Louisiana House of Representatives and the Louisiana Senate, will be chairman of the LAGOP's Minority Outreach Committee. "We are honored to have Senator Guillory to lead our effort to expand the Republican Party's membership," Villere said. "For the first time ever, Louisiana will soon have one million Republican voters, and Senator Guillory will be key in helping us to cross that mark."

LAGOP Statement on Congressman Cedric Richmond's remarks about Kellyanne Conway

LAGOP Vice-Chair Beryl Amedee, National Committeewoman Lenar Whitney and President of the Louisiana Federation of Republican Women, Gena Gore, issued the following statement in response to Congressman Cedric Richmond’s remarks (Click photo to view video) about Kellyanne Conway:

"Yesterday, Congressman Cedric Richmond made a deeply offensive remark regarding Kellyanne Conway, and he owes her a sincere and prompt apology. Using inappropriate sexual innuendos to demean women is sexism at its worse. Given that March is Women’s History Month, Congressman Richmond’s remarks about the first woman to successfully manage a US presidential campaign are especially disgusting. We’d hope that Governor John Bel Edwards and LA Democrat Chairwoman Karen Carter Peterson will join us in demanding Congressman Richmond apologize immediately."

Trending Blogs

Recently Viewed Blogs