Article written by Adeline Fields
This week, Louisiana Democratic Party Executive Director Dadrius Lanus outlined a bold new plan for revitalizing Democratic engagement across the state, emphasizing the need to refocus away from partisan divides and toward the everyday needs of Louisianans. He made it clear that the mission moving forward is grounded in service and accountability to the public. “This is not about left and right. This is not about conservative and liberal. This is about Louisiana—and if we’re not willing to put politics aside to fight for the people that we believe in, we are not suited to fit inside of these positions that we serve across our state,” Lanus said.
Lanus says that his approach as Executive Director is centered on local concerns, not national agendas. He said the Louisiana Democratic party’s biggest goal now is to reconnect with communities that have felt abandoned by both parties. “My singular plan from day one was we have got to get Louisiana out of Washington, D.C. and focus on the points, focus on the concerns of the things that affect the people of Louisiana every single day.”
As part of that plan, they’re launching what he called the “Fight for Our Lives” tour, an effort to reach deep into Louisiana’s rural parishes—many of which have traditionally voted Republican. Lanus said the goal is to show up in places Democrats haven’t before, listen first, and rebuild trust. “We’re going to every single rural parish. You see, before, the means of engagement was to go to every single urban parish… but this time around, we’re going to rural parishes. We’re going to those areas that we haven’t went to before. And it may be parishes that are heavy-leaning republican. We want to hear from you—because guess what? You’re also part of Louisiana. We want to hear your voice; we need to hear your voices. We can only become a better party by Louisiana becoming a better state, and Louisiana becomes a better state when we can hear the voices of all people: all creeds, all colors, all genders, all orientations, collectively.”
Looking ahead, Lanus confirmed that the party has a shortlist of potential candidates to challenge Republican Senator Bill Cassidy. He made it clear that they’re ready for a competitive race. “I can guarantee you: Bill Cassidy will have a Democratic, strong competitor opponent on this side of the aisle that’s going to run against him.” Lanus criticized Cassidy’s track record and said Louisiana needs someone who consistently puts people first. “Louisiana needs somebody who is going to put the will of the people forward over personal politics. And Bill Cassidy has shown, time and time again, he’s not that person.”
When asked about fears and concerns surrounding recent deportations and changes to immigration policy, Lanus assured the public that protecting legal residents remains a top priority. He voiced strong opposition to efforts to eliminate birthright citizenship and said those moves undermine the very identity of the country. “Things that have historically made us who we are as a country are being rewritten as we see it,” he warned. Lanus also took aim at Republican-led policies that he says are financially reckless, warning that their impact will hit education and healthcare hardest—two areas he said are not constitutionally protected in the state budget. “I want you all to understand who’s going to hurt the most: our most rural citizens in Louisiana.”
Lanus was direct about the Louisiana Democratic Party’s past failures, naming specific areas where he acknowledges they fell short and pledging to correct them. “There’s a lot of them that say that ‘the legislation that you pushed in the past, you didn’t speak to all Louisianans, you spoke for certain ones.’ You know, what? We did that wrong. There are those that’ll say, ‘you didn’t fight strong enough for teachers to get pay raises.’ You know, what? We did that wrong. There’ll be others that will say that ‘our unions need more support, you need a louder voice, we need more action.’ You know, what? We did that wrong. But I’m here to tell you: for every wrong, there is a right. And we will fight, I will fight, the Louisiana party will fight to correct every single wrong.” He says the party is now actively working to re-engage not only Democratic voters, but also independents who have been overlooked in the past. “We’re going to reach the people who we’ve lost. We’re going to talk to the independents too; because we do know that, guess what: While you may not have a party, you still have a vote. And you have the right to choose who you want to vote for.”
Finally, Lanus highlighted what he sees as the driving force of the party’s future: young people, grassroots energy, and sustained organizing. In just two weeks, he says, the Louisiana Democratic Party signed on over 100 volunteers and interns. “We’re building an army of volunteers who are going to make those phone calls, who are going to travel with us across the state, who are going to help us build and process legislation that makes sense for Louisianans across our state, and we’re going to build this party back from its very foundation.” He also re-emphasized the movement’s dedication to inclusivity for all voters. “We’re building this back with young people. We’re building this back with our normal voters. We’re building this back with those who want to vote for us that are Republicans. And we’ll also be building this back with Independents alike. This is the new Louisiana Democratic Party.”