State Rep. Mandie Landry of New Orleans rejoined the Louisiana Democratic Party on Friday, several months after becoming a political independent to protest moves by the party hierarchy.
Landry’s decision won’t affect who holds power in the Republican-controlled Legislature. Republicans gained a two-thirds supermajority in the House a week ago when longtime Democrat Francis Thompson from Delhi switched to the GOP.
Thompson, who is the longest serving legislator in state history, had already been voting regularly with Republicans. Republicans already held a supermajority in the state Senate.
Still, Landry’s move cheered Democrats.
“We’re working to lift up our local economies, strengthen our justice system, secure meaningful insurance reforms, and improve our educational system,” state Rep. Sam Jenkins of Shreveport, the Democratic House caucus chair, said in a statement. “The task before us is great, and we are proud to have Rep. Landry in our corner. She is a fighter, a vital member of our caucus, and an important voice in Louisiana’s legislature.”
Landry is perhaps the most progressive lawmaker in the Legislature, strongly fighting Republican restrictions on abortion and LGBTQ+ rights and strongly supporting efforts to reduce easy access to guns and long sentences for non-violent offenders.
She became disillusioned with the Democrats late last year after the state party spent money to help elect then-state Rep. Royce Duplessis when she and Duplessis battled for the Senate seat that Duplessis won.
Landry also expressed displeasure that the state party similarly spent money to help then-Public Service Commissioner Lambert Boissiere III over his progressive challenger Davante Lewis. Lewis prevailed in that race.
In January, Landry panned party chair Katie Bernhardt after a TV ad appeared that promoted the possible candidacy of Bernhardt for governor.
“The chair has not done what’s required of her: raise money, motivate voters, recruit candidates for all races & build a strong party structure. Instead she solely focuses on promoting herself & her friends,” Landry said on Twitter.
Amid blowback, Bernhardt stayed out of the governor’s race and is supporting Shawn Wilson, who served as transportation secretary under Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat.
On Friday, Landry said she wants to work to improve the state party from within.
“We will soon start a legislative session where we will have to address critical state issues such as taxes and insurance, while also fighting back against national forces who want to continue to use Louisiana as a battleground for extreme and harmful policies. It’s all hands on deck,” Landry said in a statement.
She is running for re-election this fall in a district that includes Lower Garden District, the Irish Channel and Broadmoor. While an independent, Landry picked up a Democratic challenger, Madison O’Malley.
“It’s clear that she’s switching back because it’s politically expedient, now that she has drawn a Democratic opponent,” O’Malley said in a statement.
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