Louisiana state Rep. Jeremy LaCombe, who was elected as a Democrat in 2019 to District 18, has switched his party to Republican.
LaCombe is the second Democrat to cross over the aisle to join the Republican Party in Louisiana in the last month.
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It wasn't clear what prompted LaCombe to switch parties, according to the Advocate, but his departure handed Republicans a veto-proof majority of 71. Democrats, who once dominated Louisiana politics, have seen sharp declines in their influence in recent years. While the party only holds 32 seats in the 105-member House, there are more Democrats registered to vote (39%) than Republicans (34%) or independents (27%).
This is the second party switch in Louisiana within a month involving a Democratic congressman and the third incident nationwide, as a North Carolina leader made the switch as well.
Louisiana state Rep. Francis Thompson left the Democratic Party in late March. Earlier this month, North Carolina state Rep. Tricia Cotham joined the GOP, giving the state House a veto-proof majority. The Republican state Senate already had a veto-proof majority.
On Monday, House Democratic Caucus Chairman Sam Jenkins said he is looking forward to working with LaCombe and believes he still embraces "the same values" as the Democratic caucus.
"House Democrats will continue to stand up for the working people of Louisiana," Jenkins said.
House Democratic Caucus Chair Sam Jenkins said he thinks LaCombe continues to share the same values as the caucus: #lalege #lagov https://t.co/3mYF8Xd1Aj pic.twitter.com/7x6G1ESQDp
— Sam Karlin (@samkarlin) April 10, 2023
Louisiana state Rep. Mandie Landry, who recently rejoined the Democratic Party in March after running as an independent, blasted the state Democratic Party for not backing LaCombe, saying he would likely still be a Democrat if the party hadn't wasted its time with "sorority politics."
"Jeremy Lacombe would maybe be a senator now - & still a D - had the state Democratic Party actually went all out to help him," Landry tweeted. "Instead they spun their wheels with petty sorority politics."
Jeremy Lacombe would maybe be a senator now - & still a D - had the state Democratic Party actually went all out to help him. Instead they spun their wheels with petty sorority politics. “Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards also won [his district] with 55% in 2019.” #lalege #lagov https://t.co/WMqmH5lghc
— Mandie Landry (@votelandry) April 10, 2023
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Landry went on to write that the Democratic Party failed to help LaCombe with “GOTV, mail, media, usual campaign stuff.”