Another State Legislator Ditches Democrats for GOP
Louisiana Democrats took another blow Monday as State Rep. Jeremy LaCombe decided to switch his party affiliation.
The lawmaker, elected in 2019, is the second Louisiana Democrat to switch to Republican within a month.
LaCombe’s party switch gives the GOP a larger majority in the Louisiana House, which recently became a supermajority.
His name is Jeremy LaCombe… pic.twitter.com/grlwWpW5Hr
— Ben Owen🇺🇸 (@hrkbenowen) April 10, 2023
News: Louisiana House Democrats have lost another member to a party switch.
State Rep. Jeremy Lacombe has switched to the GOP. It comes after state Rep. Francis Thompson gave the House GOP a supermajority by switching parties. Developing story: #lalege https://t.co/riin6B9VvG
— Sam Karlin (@samkarlin) April 10, 2023
The Advocate reported:
Republicans in the state House recently gained a supermajority – a crucial threshold for overriding vetoes and passing tax measures – because another Democrat, Rep. Francis Thompson of Delhi, switched to the GOP. In that case, the state GOP held a press event touting the news.
LaCombe’s switch was lower profile. He confirmed the move Monday, but didn’t state his reasons.
His decision comes as the Republican-led Legislature convenes in Baton Rouge for its regular legislative session, during which lawmakers will tackle insurance issues, decide where to spend an influx of additional tax dollars and take on a host of culture-war issues in an election year.
FOX News noted that LaCombe is the third Democrat state lawmaker to switch parties within the past month.
It was not immediately clear what prompted LaCombe’s departure, however he is now the second Louisiana Democrat in less than a month to switch party affiliations, and the third nationwide after another state lawmaker in North Carolina did the same.
Last month, Louisiana state Rep. Francis Thompson gave Republicans in the state House a supermajority after he switched his party affiliation, and earlier this month, North Carolina state Rep. Tricia Cotham gave Republicans in the state House a supermajority with her switch as well.
The switches come as President Biden faces a near-record low approval rating among key groups, including women (43% now vs. 42% low), voters ages 45+ (41% vs. 39% low), suburban voters (41% vs. 39% low), rural voters (31% vs. 30% low) and Democrats (81% vs. 78% low) – Democratic men in particular (79% vs. 78% low), according to a recent Fox News poll.
North Carolina Democrat Tricia Cotham is now a Republican:
“The modern day Democratic Party has become unrecognizable to me… If you don’t do exactly what the Democrats want you to do, they will try to bully you. They will try to cast you aside.”pic.twitter.com/7n0QxTXbEw
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) April 5, 2023
