Conservatives Keep Control of GOP

 Conservatives have had working control of the Republican Party of East Baton Rouge Parish since 2012. Now their influence in the party has been extended for at least another four years.

Almost the entire membership of the 17-member Republican Parish Executive Committee has been reelected without opposition. The committee, which is composed of conservatives, includes four women and four minorities.

Meanwhile, local Democrats are mired in controversy, and 46 candidates representing a number of factions are seeking 17 seats on the Democratic Parish Executive Committee. Of the 46 Democratic candidates, 37 are African Americans, eight are white, and one is listed as other.

How PEC Is Elected. Under Louisiana law, each major political party is governed at the parish level by a Parish Executive Committee, or PEC, which is elected by voters registered with that party at the time of the Presidential Primary in Presidential election years.  In each parish, five members of the PEC are elected at large parishwide, and one member is elected from each Police Jury or Metro Council district.  The  parish party chairman is elected by members of the Parish Executive Committee.

Louisiana’s Presidential Primary is scheduled for April 4. Qualifying for candidates for the PEC for each party ended last Friday. 

On the Republican side, almost the entire membership of the East Baton Rouge Republican Parish Executive Committee was decided when qualifying closed.

One person and only one person qualified for each of the 12 executive committee seats to be elected from the 12 Metro Council districts in the parish.  So all 12 were elected without opposition.

Six candidates qualified for the five at-large seats. So Republicans who go to the polls on April 4 will get to cast five votes for those six candidates.

East Baton Rouge Parish Republican chairman Woody Jenkins confirmed that all 12 PEC candidates from the Metro Council districts and five of the six at-large candidates are conservative activists who wish to continue the current direction of the party in the parish.

He said, “All members of the Executive Committee are solid conservatives who strongly support President Trump.”  The PEC endorsed Eddie Rispone during the recent Governor’s election.

The East Baton Rouge Parish Republican Party is the largest in the state in terms of participation, Jenkins said. “More Republicans in this parish actually go to the polls and vote than in any other parish in the state,” he said.

The local Republican Party is known for its endorsement of conservative candidates. The party asks candidates more than 60 policy issues, and how candidates stand on the issues is a very important part 

of the endorsement process.  The party promotes its endorsements through social media,TV, and local newspapers and other publications.

The Republican Party of East Baton Rouge Parish was one of the first local county Republican organizations in the nation to endorse Donald Trump for President. That endorsement came in January 2016. The party helped host the first Trump rally in Louisiana at the Baton Rouge RiverCenter, and Jenkins introduced the future President.

The local party opened the Trump headquarters in Baton Rouge and ran his local campaign. 

Jenkins said the most important role played by the Republican Party of East Baton Rouge Parish is helping voters, especially Republican voters, know the candidates. “The endorsement process is mainly about letting voters know who is running, their qualifications, and their stand on the issues.”

“We are very pleased that despite the fact that Hillary Clinton carried East Baton Rouge Parish by more than 20,000 votes, we have been able to reelect our Republican Sheriff, Assessor, Clerk of Court, and Coroner. In addition, Republicans hold a majority of the seats on the Metro Council and on the parish school board,” Jenkins said.

The parish Republican Party showcases conservative ideas and Republican candidates and public officials at the monthly Ronald Reagan Newsmaker Luncheon, which is held at 12 noon on the second Tuesday of each month at Café Américain, 7521 Jefferson Highway. At this week’s meeting, the group heard from Rep. Blake Miguez, the newly-elected Republican leader in the Louisiana House of Representatives. As usual, it was covered by the major media in Baton Rouge and broadcast live by the Central City News on Facebook.

Jenkins said the main goals of the Republican Party of East Baton Rouge Parish this year will be to reelect Donald Trump as President and maximize Republican strength  in City-Parish government.

One project of the local GOP this year will be to increase the influence of black Republicans in Baton Rouge. The party is launching the Frederick Douglass Newsmaker Luncheon to involve black Republicans in the party and showcase their views. The effort is led by retired Army Major George Francis, who will chair the luncheon. For information, contact Woody Jenkins at woodyjenkins@hotmail.com or call 225-921-1433.