Briefnow
Apr 01, 2026

Republicans Gain Historic Control in Louisiana After Democrat Switches Parties

Louisiana Republicans have managed to gain historic power in the state after a now-former Democratic lawmaker switched parties, thanks to his previous party’s leftward march.

Advertisement

State Rep. Francis Thompson has announced that he will be switching parties and joining the GOP, citing the incompatibility of the Democratic Party’s positions with his Christian faith. This move has given Louisiana Republicans a supermajority in the state’s House, marking the first time in the state’s 210-year history, Newsweek reported.

With the GOP holding a supermajority in the state Senate and now also in the state House, they have the power to override any veto from Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards.

“Let me clear: Nothing has changed,” Thompson said as he made his announcement. “There are values and principles that I firmly hold onto that guide my decisions. My conservative voting record over my years in the Legislature speaks for itself.

“The push the past several years by Democratic leadership on both the national and state level to support certain issues does not align with those values and principles that are a part of my Christian life,” he added.

Thompson, who voted with the GOP often and became “the longest-serving Democrat in the Louisiana state legislature,” said his decision was the result of long deliberations.

“This is a happy day, but it’s not a decision that was made in a day,” Thompson told the News Star.

“I’ve struggled with this and have been thinking about it for more than a year when it has become clear that the Republican Party better represents my values and philosophy today,” he added.

Advertisement

Republican leaders in the state said that Thompson’s move was mostly symbolic but important nonetheless.

“Today marks a pivotal moment for the Louisiana Legislature, as it has reached a supermajority for the first time in modern history,” House Majority Leader Blake Miguez said, according to Newsweek.

“Representative Thompson’s decision to change parties after 48 years sheds light on the evolving nature of political affiliations and highlights the importance of this milestone for the legislature,” he added.

Other posts