State Rep. Dixon McMakin, R-Baton Rouge, is weighing a run for Congress following Julia Letlow’s announcement that she’s running for the U.S. Senate—but he’s waiting to see whether Garret Graves enters the race first.
McMakin tells Daily Report that his decision largely hinges on Graves, who has been widely floated as a potential candidate for the 5th Congressional District if Letlow were to vacate the seat.
Graves, a Republican, served as the U.S. representative for the 6th Congressional District from 2015 to 2025, declining to seek reelection after redistricting radically reshaped his district.
“Now that Julia is in, I am still waiting to see if Congressman Graves gets into the race,” McMakin says. “If he gets in, I will not be running. If he gets out, I will probably highly consider running.”
While McMakin is holding off on launching a campaign, he is taking steps toward potential candidacy by establishing an exploratory committee, a move he intends to formally announce in short order. Exploratory committees are used to evaluate the feasibility of a candidacy by gauging public support and assessing fundraising potential.
U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow, R-La., announced her Senate bid at Business Report‘s Power Breakfast on Tuesday morning. She’s challenging incumbent Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, who is already facing a slate of Republican challengers. Read more here.
Graves is considered a formidable potential candidate for Letlow’s seat thanks in large part to his considerable name recognition, his deep relationships with local business and political leaders and his reputation as a policy-focused lawmaker. What’s more, he still has $3.7 million in campaign cash on hand.
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