LCRM Welcomes Taylor Barras to Republican Party

(Gonzales, LA.) – The Louisiana Committee for a Republican Majority today welcomed Democratic state Rep. Taylor Barras, of New Iberia, to the Republican Party. Barras was a party switch candidate for LCRM. “The economy in southwest Louisiana has been devastated by the Democrat’s moratorium on oil and gas drilling. Led by Barack Obama and other Democrats in the U.S. Congress, thousands good paying jobs have been lost. Meanwhile as the number of jobs decrease, the size and cost of government has increased,” said John Diez, Executive Director for LCRM.

“As a Republican, Taylor Barras can hold a key leadership position in the next legislative cycle. I hope Republicans throughout the state are as excited about Taylor’s switch as I am,” said U.S. Sen. David Vitter, Honorary Chairman of LCRM. Taylor Barras has voted with the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry 83 percent of the time and the Louisiana Family Forum 89 percent of the time.

LCRM was founded in June of 2005 by Senator David Vitter with a goal of electing a Republican Majority in the Louisiana House and Senate for the first time since Reconstruction. In 2005, the Louisiana House of Representatives had 40 Republican House seats, while Republicans held 16 seats in the Senate. Today, Republicans control both Chambers of the legislature with 56 seats in the House and 22 in the Senate.