The issue of congressional term limits played a massive role in Louisiana’s legislative elections on Saturday, October 14, 2023. After a statewide voter education effort from U.S. Term Limits (USTL) in 36 districts, 62 total pledge signers were successful: 24 signers of the USTL pledge won their primaries, 19 signers of the USTL pledge won outright unopposed and 19 signers advanced to the general election.
The pledge the candidates signed reads, “I pledge that as a member of the state legislature I will cosponsor, vote for, and defend the resolution applying for an Article V convention for the sole purpose of enacting term limits on Congress.”
Pledge signers elected in primary who defeated challengers are Adam Bass, Alan Seabaugh, Beau Beaullieu, Bill Wheat, Candace Newell, Charles Owen, Dustin Miller, Foy Gadberry, Josh Carlson, Julie Emerson, Kimberly Coates, Mark Abraham, Michael Melerine, Mike Fesi, Neil Riser, Patrick Connick, Rhonda Butler, Robert Owen, Rodney Schamerhorn, Roger Wilder, Roy Adams, Stewart Cathey, and Valarie Hodges.
Pledge signers who won unopposed and will be sworn into the 2024 legislative session are Denise Marcelle, Dewith Carrier, Frank Foil, Gabe Firment, Heather Cloud, Jack McFarland, Jeremy Stine, John Illg, Joseph Orgeron, Laurie Schlegel, Les Farnum, Mark Wright, Mike Echols, Mike Johnson, Patricia Moore, Patrick McMath, Raymond Crews, Troy Romero, Timothy Kerner, Sr., and Wayne McMahen.
Pledge signers who advanced to the general election on Nov. 18th are Barbara Freiberg, Belinda Davis, Brandon Ivey, C. Johnson, Dirk Guidry, Dixon McMakin, Emily Chenevert, Jessica Domangue, John Wyble, Kellee Dickerson, Kellie Alford, Kim Carver, Lauren Ventrella, Mack Cormier, Mary Dubuisson, Mike Bayham, Richard Lewis, Richie Edmonds, and Robert Allain.
The voter education efforts from U.S. Term Limits included mailers comparing incumbents to dirty diapers, which said “politicians and diapers need to be changed often and for the same reason.” U.S. Term limits also secured digital ads and mailers to thank the candidates who had signed the pledge.
“87 percent of Americans support term limits for Congress. We are proud of our effort to educate term limits supporters about who does and does not support term limits,” said U.S. Term Limits Executive Director Nick Tomboulides. “We look forward to doing more in the future until the congressional term limits resolution passes in Louisiana.”
Under Article V of the U.S. Constitution, states can meet at a convention to propose an amendment. To do so, 34 state legislatures must pass a resolution calling for term limits on members of Congress and 38 states must ratify proposal in order for it to become law. The U.S. Term Limits pledge affirms the candidate’s commitment to support the U.S. Term Limits resolution when it is introduced in the state.
