BY: Parker G. Ward
President Trump has visited North Louisiana twice in a week. On November 6, 2019, he was at the Monroe Civic Center speaking to a packed house. The last President to visit Northwest Louisiana was George W. Bush in 2005. On November 14th (Writing this before his visit to SBC) one would venture to say the President will have a sellout crowd at the CenturyLink Center in Bossier. Also, I would predict that there will be many people who will not be able to get in the 14,000-seat arena.
What do his visits mean to North Louisiana? Well, when it comes to politics, we are the red-headed stepchild. Most of our fellow Louisianans do not consider us “Louisianan’s”. They do not consider Monroe to Shreveport and down to Alexandria as part of Louisiana. Many say Louisiana starts at Opelousas. So often we are ignored entirely. Candidates for statewide office will make one or two trips to North Louisiana during a year-long campaign. Even when they are elected, they forget about us. Even in the State Legislature, North Louisiana is underrepresented in many of the Committees and its leadership. Candidates from North Louisiana cannot get elected to Statewide office. In the Republican State Central Committee, and I would probably venture to say, the Democratic State Committees are often ignoring North Louisiana.
So, why is Trump’s visit significant? Well, Eddie Rispone has visited North Louisiana more than any candidate for Governor. I know of at least six or seven visits to Northwest Louisiana during his campaigns in the primary and the runoff with Governor John Bel Edwards. He will be here to campaign with President Donald J. Trump. During the November 6th rally, President Trump even went to endorse and support candidate Robert Mills who is running against incumbent Ryan Gatti for State Senate over in Bossier Parish. That is unheard of, a President supporting a candidate for State Senate? For us, it's extraordinary. It shows how important we are to Mr. Rispone and President Trump.
In the race for Speaker of the House, State Representative Alan Seabaugh from Caddo Parish is in the running for Speaker. Representative Seabaugh is highly regarded by members of his party in the legislature. Will the North Louisiana stigma ring true here? The last North Louisiana Speaker of the House was Rep. Joe Reece from 2004-2008 from Sabine Parish. The last one from Caddo Parish was J. Stuart Douglas from 1924-1926. The last one from Bossier was William C. Hughes from 1926-1928. Our current President pro tempore of the Senate is State Senator Gerald Long from the Winnfield-area, who is the last of the Long family political dynasty of Louisiana. Before him, the Last Caddo Parish President pro tempore was the late State Senator Ron Bean from 1999-2000. To my knowledge, the only President of the Senate from North Louisiana was Benjamin W. Pearce from Bienville from 1864-1865. The Last North Louisiana Governor was Buddy Roemer from 1988-1992. The list could go on and on.
So, how do we remedy this? We should demand to be heard by our leaders. We need to start fielding candidates for Statewide office from North Louisiana. We need to make sure we are represented properly on legislative committees. Make sure we start holding our elected officials accountable. Remember, they work for us…..we do not work for them.
Election day is Saturday, November 16, 2019. You can find where you vote and what’s on your ballot at www.sos.la.gov. Make sure you go and VOTE!!!!!
Parker Ward is a lifelong Caddo Parish Resident. He is currently the Chairman of the Caddo Parish Young Republicans.
This Article is published in the November 14th issue of The Inquisitor.