LaPolitics: You’ve said that you want the state GOP to have more sway at the Capitol. How much influence does it have now, and how can the party get more involved?
Louisiana Republican Party Chair Derek Babcock: I’ve spent a lot of time at the Capitol in the past few weeks building personal relationships. I’m the new chair and many of our legislators are freshmen, so I wanted to get to know as many of them as possible. I have a little bit of a head start since I’ve been friends with a lot of legislators for a long time. I was also involved in quite a few legislative races across the state last year, so I already knew most of our freshmen before they were elected. Republicans have a supermajority in both chambers now, so the party has a lot of influence and voters are eager to see serious policy changes, and we’re off to a great start. I want to work closely with our leaders to help in any way I can.
What are your thoughts on complaints during this last cycle that the state GOP endorsed Jeff Landry for governor too early in the process, as other prominent Republicans were still competing?
I stand by our early endorsement. As party leaders, our primary goal is to win the Governor’s Mansion. The best way to do that is to choose your horse early, unite the party behind him or her, raise a ton of money, and hopefully win in the primary to avoid the divisions. Hey, I think we checked every box.
What is the game plan for attracting more young and minority voters to the GOP?
I was going to say, “Run against Joe Biden!” That’s working really well for us with both demographics. But seriously … the same way we reach out to everyone else. We offer a vision of limited government and maximum freedom. Our goal is to communicate to every demographic how those principles will improve their lives.
As we have seen already with Louisiana Republicans, when one party dominates, factions tend to develop within that party. What, if anything, is the state party’s role in resolving those disputes?
I think that our job is to treat everyone with respect and provide strong leadership like we did in the gubernatorial race. If the state party leadership has a good plan and we’re winning, there’s not a lot of division. All of these “factions,” as you call them, benefit when Republicans are winning elections and making policy. And we’ve done a lot of winning lately.
You have previously run for the Legislature and Livingston Parish Council. Do you plan to try again for state or local government office?
I enjoy the campaign process and I’ve learned a lot from my previous campaigns. I think those experiences were necessary to prepare me for my role today and I’m glad I did it. But look, being chair of the state Republican Party is an 80-hour a week job. I think I’m good.
THEY SAID IT: “We all have bad weeks.” –Former President Donald Trump, on Kristi Noem killing her dog, in The Hill
Jeremy Alford publishes LaPolitics Weekly, a newsletter on Louisiana politics, at LaPolitics.com. Follow him on Facebook or X (formerly Twitter). He can be reached at JJA@LaPolitics.com.
