Republican Party of Louisiana Announces 2012 Caucus Locations

Baton Rouge, Louisiana – On April 28, 2012, the Republican Party of Louisiana will hold district caucuses across Louisiana as the first phase of delegate selection for the 2012 Republican National Convention.

Republican voters will cast ballots at 30 sites from 8:30 am until 12:00 noon on Saturday, April 28, 2012. Twenty-five delegates and twelve alternates will be elected from each congressional district to vote at the Republican State Convention, where the election of delegates and alternates to the Republican National Convention will take place.

Any Louisiana registered voter affiliated with the Republican Party on December 15, 2011 is eligible to participate. Participants are not required to stay for a meeting in order to cast a vote.  Voters will be required to present a valid photo ID in order to cast a ballot.

Here are the 30 locations and the parishes assigned to each site:

Bossier City:
Bossier Parish Community College (The Gym, Bldg J) -  6220 East Texas Street, Bossier City, LA  71111
Parishes: Bossier, Webster

Shreveport:
S’Port Port – 424 Ashley Ridge Boulevard Shreveport, LA 71106
Parishes: Caddo, DeSoto, Red River

Monroe:
Barak Shrine Temple – 6620 Frontage Rd, Monroe, LA 71202
Parishes: Ouachita, Morehouse, East Carroll, West Carroll, Caldwell

Ruston:
Hampton Inn – 1315 North Trenton Street, Ruston, LA 71270
Parishes: Lincoln, Jackson, Union, Claiborne, Bienville

Winnsboro:
Princess Room – 714 Prairie Street, Winnsboro, LA 71295
Parishes: Franklin, Tensas, Madison, Richland

Vidalia:
Comfort Suites – 100 Front Street, Vidalia, LA, US, 71373
Parishes: Catahoula, Concordia

Natchitoches:
Best Western Natchitoches Inn – 5131 University Pkwy, Natchitoches, LA 71457
Parishes: Natchitoches, Winn, Sabine

Pineville:
Louisiana College Guinn Auditorium – 1140 College Drive  Pineville, LA 71360
Parishes: Rapides, Grant, Avoyelles, Evangeline, LaSalle

Leesville:
Pearl Creek Event Center – 103 S. Third Street, Leesville, LA 71446
Parishes: Vernon, Beauregard

Lake Charles:
Comfort Suites – 1016 North Martin Luther King Highway, Lake Charles, LA 70601
Parishes: Calcasieu, Cameron, Allen

Rayne:
Best Western Hotel – 1422 North Polk Street, Rayne, LA 70578
Parishes: Acadia, Jefferson Davis

Abbeville:
Vermillion Parish Courthouse – 100 North State Street, Abbeville, LA 70510
Parishes: Vermillion

Lafayette:
Family Church – 223 Stone Avenue  Lafayette, LA 70507
Parishes: Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin, Iberia

Morgan City:
Hampton Inn – 6365 Hwy 182 E, Morgan City, LA
Parishes: St. Mary

Port Allen:
Reliant Technology – 2933 La Highway 1 N  Port Allen, LA 70767
Parishes: West Baton Rouge, Iberville

Baton Rouge:
Jefferson Baptist Church – 9135 Jefferson Hwy., Baton Rouge, LA 70809
Parishes: East Baton Rouge Residents south of Florida Blvd.

Central:
Kristenwood – 14025 Greenwell Springs Rd, Greenwell Springs, LA 70739
Parishes: East Baton Rouge Residents north of Florida Blvd.

St. Francisville
Magnuson Hotel – 7059 U.S. 61, St Francisville, LA 70775
Parishes: West Feliciana, East Feliciana, Pointe Coupee

Denham Springs:
Hampton Inn – 201 Rushing Road West, Denham Springs, LA 70726
Parishes: Livingston, St. Helena

Gonzales:
Ascension Parish Republican Party Headquarters – 1444 N. Airline Hwy. Gonzales, LA 70707
Parishes: Ascension, Assumption

Hammond:
Hampton Inn – 401 Westin Oaks Drive, Hammond, LA 70403
Parishes: Tangipahoa

Covington/Mandeville:
Clarion Hotel – 501 North Hwy 190, Covington, LA 70433
Parishes: Washington and Residents of western St. Tammany (Precincts  numbered 101-706 and any precincts beginning with “A”, “C”, “F” or “M”)

Slidell:
Hampton Inn – 56460 Frank Pichon Road, Slidell, LA 70458
Parishes: Residents of eastern St. Tammany (Precincts numbered 801-921 and any precincts beginning with an “S” or “P”)

Chalmette:
St. Bernard Parish Governmental Building – 8201 West Judge Perez Drive, Chalmette, LA 70043
Parishes: St. Bernard and East Bank Residents of Plaquemines Parish

New Orleans:
De LaSalle High School (entrance will be through the school yard cafeteria door entrance) - 5300 Saint Charles Ave. New Orleans, LA 70115
Parishes: Orleans Parish East Bank Residents

Gretna:
Quality Inns And Suites – 100 Westbank Expressway, Gretna, LA, US, 70053
Parishes: West Bank Residents of Orleans, Jefferson and Plaquemines Parish

Metairie:
Lifegate Church – 1317 Butternut Ave. Metairie, La.  70001
Parishes: Jefferson Parish East Bank Residents

LaPlace:
Quality Inn – 3900 U.S Highway 51, LaPlace, LA 70068
Parishes: St. John the Baptist, St. James

Boutte:
Zydecos Restaurant – 13228 U.S. 90, Boutte, LA 70039
Parishes: St. Charles

Houma:
LaQuinta Hotel – 189 Synergy Center Boulevard, Houma, LA 70363
Parishes: Terrebonne, Lafourche

For more information on the 2012 Louisiana Republican Caucuses, please contact Caucus Director Scott Wilfong at (225) 272-2525.

The Republican National Committee met in New Orleans on Friday and cleared the way for states like Louisiana to bind delegates to presidential candidates according to the results of presidential primaries. This ruling confirmed our ability to move forward under our current rules.

The RNC has also ruled that Louisiana must conduct delegate elections in its six new congressional districts instead of the seven current districts. This action deprived our state of three additional delegates that we feel we are entitled to. We were disappointed by this decision.

Regardless, it is now time to move forward with our delegate selection process.

The Republican Party of Louisiana will conduct congressional district caucuses on Saturday, April 28, 2012 for the purpose of electing delegates to the Louisiana Republican State Convention. Delegates to the Republican National Convention will be elected by the State Convention on June 2nd in Shreveport.

Louisiana voters affiliated with the Republican Party on or before December 15, 2011 are eligible to participate in the caucuses.

Caucus voting will be conducted between 8:30 a.m. and 12:00 noon. Any qualified voter who is in line at noon will be allowed to vote. Voters are not required to stay for a meeting in order to vote. Voters will elect 25 delegates and 12 alternates from their new congressional districts. Each person may cast votes for up to 25 candidates for delegate and up to 12 candidates for alternate.

In order to run for state convention delegate or alternate, candidates must qualify with the Republican Party of Louisiana. There will be two methods of qualifying. Those who desire to qualify online may do so on April 10-12, 2012. Online qualifying will end at 5:00 p.m. on April 12th. Names of candidates who qualify online will be listed online so that they may verify that their registrations have been received. Those who do not want to register online and those wishing to pay for one or more candidates by check may deliver registration forms and checks in person on Tuesday, April 10, 2012, between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. at Republican Party of Louisiana Headquarters, 530 Lakeland Drive, Suite 215, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The registration fee for a candidate for state convention delegate is $200. The fee to run for alternate is $75. Qualifying forms and caucus locations will be published in the weeks ahead.

Voters will be assigned to one of approximately 30 voting sites across Louisiana. In most cases, entire parishes will be assigned to one site. At some sites, voters from more than one congressional district will vote. When voters sign in, they will be provided the appropriate ballot for their congressional district. Voters are required to provide a photo ID in order to obtain a ballot. Voter registration cards are not required for check in, but we encourage voters to bring one in case there is any question about their eligibility to participate.

Delegates and alternates to the Republican National Convention will be selected on June 2, 2012 at the Louisiana Republican State Convention in Shreveport by state convention delegates. It is not necessary to be a state convention delegate in order to be elected as a national convention delegate. Qualifying procedures for national delegate and alternate will be announced at a later date.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

Roger F. Villere, Jr.
Chairman

The road to the White House runs through the Southern Republican Leadership 
Conference, January 18th-21st, 2012!

What makes SRLC 2012 so action-packed is that it is being held in Charleston, South Carolina in the lead up to the “First in the South” Presidential Primary Election.

And if that’s not enough, just two days before South Carolina voters head to the polls, CNN will be hosting a presidential debate on Thursday, January 19.

Media from around the world, federal-and state-elected officials, and the Republican presidential contenders are all in one place and will make SRLC 2012 one adrenaline-charged event you don’t want to miss.

For an exclusive Republican Party of Louisiana discount, please register using this exclusive link. For general information, visit www.SRLCCharleston2012.com. If you would like to become a sponsor for SRLC 2012, please contact Julie Emerson at Julie@SRLCCharleston2012.com.

We look forward to hosting you in Charleston!

Exciting News! New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is coming to Baton Rouge and you’re invited to help us welcome him to the Bayou State. This Thursday, Governor Jindal, Congressmen Cassidy & Scalise, and Chairman Villere will be in attendance and I hope you can make it too! This event is open to the public and is free to attend.

Governor Chris Christie Welcome Rally
Thursday, September 29th 4:30pm (doors open at 3:30)

Louisiana Aircraft Terminal (At the Baton Rouge Airport)
4225 Chuck Yeager Ave. Baton Rouge

See you Thursday!

Jason P. Doré, Executive Director
Republican Party of Louisiana

In Case You Missed It…

Louisiana’s business ranking and

record mean state is on the move

Alexandria Town-Talk
Editorial
July 16, 2011

“The news about Louisiana’s economic-development performance is triply good today: For the third consecutive year, Louisiana has been named State of the Year in the South by Southern Business & Development magazine.

The ranking is impressive — sole possession of the top spot after tying with Tennessee in 2009 and ’10 — and the sustained strong performance is telling. It marks a welcome trend…

Louisiana turned eight deals of $300 million or more in 2010 in investment and two of those were $1 billion or more, the magazine reports. No other state did that. It also landed 71 big projects of $30 million or more in investment and/or 200 or more jobs.

Reflecting on the performance, Louisiana Economic Development, headed by Secretary Stephen Moret, noted that ‘since early 2008, Louisiana has moved up to its highest-ever position in every national, broad-based ranking of state business climates, including those published by Chief Executive magazine, Forbes, Site Selection magazine, CNBC, Business Facilities magazine, Pollina Corporate Real Estate and the Beacon Hill Institute.’…

Louisiana is clearly on the move.”

Read More in the Alexandria Town-Talk

Popular Presidential Vote Subverts Constitution

Washington Times
By John Ryder
June 2, 2011

“…The Electoral College is part of an elaborate mechanism designed by the Founders to create interdependent centers of power, each balancing the excesses of the others. The Constitution balances the competing elements of our Republic: The membership of the House of Representatives is based on population. The Senate is based on equal representation by state.

This design balances the interests of large and small states.

The Electoral College mirrors this arrangement by giving each state electoral votes equal to its membership in the House plus its two Senators… It reflects the Founders’ compromise between large states and small states and between electing the president by Congress and electing the president directly by the people.

Bypassing the Electoral College through the proposed compact undermines that balance by effectually erasing states’ boundaries along with those states’ sovereignty.

On a practical level, the Constitution requires a successful candidate to assemble a winning coalition across a broad geographic spectrum, embracing both large and small states, rather than a narrow concentration of votes.

A popular vote, in contrast, does not require the candidate to have broad appeal. It would make it possible for a candidate to win without any majority but merely a plurality of the popular vote. The compact would require the states to determine the candidate with the ‘largest national popular vote’ – not a majority…

Under such an arrangement, presidential candidates would have no incentive to campaign anywhere except the major media markets in a few states…

NPV would maximize the rewards of vote fraud in those large metropolitan areas. Under the Electoral College, an illegal vote only affects the outcome in one state; under the popular vote compact, an illegal vote would affect the national outcome.

What is illegal voting? Laws and procedures vary. In some states, convicted felons can vote while still in prison; in others, they must complete their sentence and apply for reinstatement…

…Our constitutional method of electing presidents, balancing the state and federal governments, has served our nation well. It would be foolish and disingenuous to bypass the written Constitution, nominally keeping the Electoral College but nullifying its function.

John Ryder is a Republican National Committee member from Tennessee.”

Read More in the Washington Times

In Case You Missed It…
It’s Madness for Republicans to support liberal attack on the Electoral College

Washington Examiner
By: Shawn Steel, former chairman of the California Republican Party
May 12th, 2011

“Circumventing the U.S. Constitution to further political agenda is normally the Left’s schtick, which makes it surprising to see Republicans rallying to the National Popular Vote (NPV), the latest liberal attempt to end-run the Constitution…

This maneuver cunningly side-steps the Constitution’s cumbersome amendment process and allows NPV proponents to do away with our centuries-old electoral system on the say-so of fewer than half the states in the Union (doubtless causing Madison to spin in his grave).

NPV was birthed from the womb of the Left and is being financed by Tom Golisano, a billionaire who supported John Kerry for president and previously spent $93 million on three campaigns for New York Governor as the nominee of the Independence Party (which he created).

Golisano is using his vast wealth to employ GOP lobbyists and politicians to sell this liberal brainchild to Republicans (he doesn’t need to convince liberals)…

Unfortunately, a dismaying number of Republicans are buying into it…

What would possess any Republican leader to propound a scheme so clearly contrary to the Founding Fathers’ constitutional design?…

NPV proponents cite the four times in our 235-year history in which the presidential winner lost the popular vote – but their solution will create the quadrennial spectacle of watching a number of states vote for the Republican nominee only to have their electoral votes go to the Democrat, and vice versa.

Take, for example, the states that have enacted NPV: Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Washington, Vermont (and DC). All went for John Kerry in 2004, but under NPV their electoral votes would have gone to George W. Bush…

Republicans should be incensed at the National Popular Vote campaign’s cavalier attitude toward the Constitution … The Founders thought it the best possible system for electing the chief executive of the Union. It manifests that we are a republic, rather than a democracy. It reflects that we are a federal union of sovereign states, rather than a unitary central government with 50 administrative units.

Presidential electors represent the voters of their states, but NPV would frequently force electors to act in opposition to the expressed will of the citizens they represent. That is the fundamental contradiction at the heart of this dishonest initiative.

Republicans flirting with this constitutional end-run should also remember a major priority of the Tea Party movement – which re-energized the GOP as the party of limited government and fueled its 2010 election triumph — is returning the Constitution to the center of our national political life…”

Read More in the Washington Examiner

In Case You Missed It…

Jindal Hammers Obama on Drilling Ban

Politico
Jennifer Epstein

“Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal used a TV appearance Wednesday morning marking the first anniversary of the BP oil spill not only to tout the progress his state has made, but to attack President Barack Obama’s response to the spill and his policies more broadly.

‘Three hundred miles of coast continue to be oiled, but at the same time, you’re seeing a great recovery story here,’ the Republican governor said on NBC’s ‘Today’ show. ‘So yes, there’s work to be done, but the reality is we’re rebuilding our state, coming back better than before.’

The people of Louisiana have been ‘resilient’ in responding to the spill, which came on the heels of five tough years following Hurricane Katrina and other storms that hit the Gulf Coast, he said. He encouraged Americans to support the region by buying Gulf Coast seafood and taking trips to the area. ‘It’s the safest, most delicious seafood you’ll ever find. … If you’re a tourist, visit the coastal areas. They would love your business.’

But Jindal’s message wasn’t all boosterism. As he touted his state’s progress, he called on the Obama administration to end its policy halting all offshore drilling, which was imposed after last year’s spill. ‘One of the side effects, one of the things we need to recover from is the administration imposed a one-size-fits-all moratorium after the spill,’ he said. ‘We want drilling to be done safely but we don’t want to lose thousands of jobs down here.’…”

Click Here For More From The Politico

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

“Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and the Legislature must make large cuts in public services to plug a $1.6 billion shortfall next fiscal year. That will be difficult and painful.

Officials are in this bind because they keep postponing the necessary discussion about what services government should provide in the long term and how it can provide them well. Instead, governors and legislators have usually gone on a spending binge when the economy is rolling, only to be forced to starve public services once the good times end…

Gov. Jindal and lawmakers need to be sensible about these cuts, and the Board of Regents must devise a plan to maximize resources and eliminate redundancies across the state. Louisiana needs to lessen the impact of this and future economic ups and downs on students and their families…”

Read The Full Article In The New Orleans Times-Picayune

In Case You Missed It…
“GOP Gaining Ground In State”

Baton Rouge Advocate
By Will Sentell
January 11, 2011 – Page: 1A

“Louisiana Democrats are reeling from party defections, a dwindling number of statewide officeholders and trouble finding credible candidates for governor and other key posts…

Last month, Democrats surrendered control of the state House of Representatives for the first time since Reconstruction without an election even being held.

Instead, an extraordinary series of defections to the Republican Party made it happen amid complaints that Democrats nationally have made the party politically radioactive in Louisiana…

In addition, GOP contenders often benefit from organizational advantages, better financing and a hunger for state offices after decades of Democratic dominance in Louisiana, political watchers said.

‘Every election cycle it seems to trend more and more Republican,’ said Jas Sullivan, an assistant professor of political science at LSU…

In 1976, Democrats enjoyed a 101-4 margin over Republicans in the Louisiana House, according to House statistics.

Just a decade ago, Democrats held a 75-30 edge.

Now, the breakdown is 53 Republicans, 47 Democrats, four members with no party affiliation and one vacancy.

In 1976, Democrats held a 38-1 advantage in the state Senate.

In 2000, Democrats filled 26 — or two-thirds — of the Senate’s 39 seats.

Now, the Senate breakdown is 19 Democrats, 18 Republicans and two vacancies…

Democrat setbacks extend beyond the state Legislature.

In 2007, the party held four of seven statewide offices.

Now, Republicans hold six of the seven after Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne was elected last year to fill the unexpired term of Democrat Mitch Landrieu…

No credible Democrat challenger has stepped up to run this year against Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal, who carried 60 of 64 parishes in 2007.

Political experts said predictions that Jindal will have $10 million in the bank means Democrats face a daunting task.

Bob Mann, a professor of mass communication at LSU, noted that Louisiana had never sent a Republican to the U.S. Senate through popular election until U.S. Sen. David Vitter won in 2004…

Last year, Democrats predicted that former U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon, a Democrat, could defeat Vitter.

Instead, Vitter won by 19 percentage points…

State Rep. Noble Ellington, of Winnsboro, another recent defector to the GOP, said he grew tired of being grilled about national Democratic policies seen by many of his constituents as wildly out of touch…

Others said Republicans have often successfully branded themselves as anti-tax and for cuts in what they call wasteful government spending…

State Republican Party Chairman Roger Villere said his party has benefited in part because the other party has deserted the conservative movement nationally.

‘It has turned off a lot of people involved in the Democratic Party in our state and throughout the South,’ Villere said.”

Read The Full Article In The Baton Rouge Advocate