In a field of seven major candidates, he was the last one in. Then the head of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, he was awaiting cues from Congressman Garret Graves and Sen. John Kennedy. He raised a quick $7 million, but it proved insufficient to beat Jeff Landry, buying him a third-place finish.
So what’s next for Stephen Waguespack? He recently sat down with Business Report for a candid conversation, reflecting on his journey in the recent gubernatorial race and sharing what’s next in his personal and professional life—and whether he has any future political aspirations.
Read the full Q&A from the December edition of Business Report. Here’s is a sample of what you’ll find:
Having run for governor and lost, how do you feel about Louisiana politics?
I think all politics are somewhat broken. I think voters are voting in lower numbers because the whole system feels unserious at times. People are dealing with real challenges right now. Insurance is unaffordable. Schools are struggling. Crime is unavoidable. People see these issues and they’re not sure if politics are the way to get those answers. I have never taken a job because I love politics. I’ve always tolerated politics, and I love policy. I like making a difference. I’ve always viewed politics as necessary to engage in, in order to get policy reforms. Now it’s getting harder to get those reforms. You see what’s going on in D.C. right now. It’s hard for them to pass bills because the politics get in the way. I am optimistic, though, about where the state Capitol is going right now. At the state level, you’re going to have a supermajority in the House and the Senate. I think the first couple hires I’ve seen from the Landry administration gives me a ton of confidence. They are strong, serious, ethical policymakers. So maybe this is the beginning of the rebound where people can start believing in politics again. That’s what I’m hoping for, because I think that’s what Louisiana needs.
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