President Donald Trump’s promise of new I-10 bridge sort of stole the show when he visited Lake Charles last week. But several other stories, smaller in scope but just as politically interesting, have also bubbled up in the wake of Trump’s most recent swing through Louisiana, Jeremy Alford writes in his latest column.
While these encounters and anecdotes show what kind of impact a president can make in a state over a few hours, they’re also reminders that Trump could play a critical role in Louisiana’s upcoming elections, particularly in the race for governor.
If there were a Cinderella story that surfaced during POTUS’ run through the Bayou State last week, the honor would likely go to Kirk Williamson, a Republican who is running in House District 94 in the New Orleans region.
When the president worked the tarmac at the New Orleans airport, he briefly met Williamson and suggested that he run for office. After telling Trump he was indeed angling for the state House, Trump quickly and unexpectedly blurted out, “Good, you seem like a man who cares about his people and is a reliable Republican. I endorse you!”
Trump’s interest in Louisiana comes from the ways it could help with his re-election next year, which should be a sign that we haven’t seen the last of Trump in the Bayou State, Alford writes.
Jeremy Alford publishes LaPolitics Weekly, a newsletter on Louisiana politics, at LaPolitics.com. Follow him on Twitter, or on Facebook. He can be reached at JJA@LaPolitics.com.
