Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry is making waves across the state. Whether you agree with his policies or not, it’s undeniable that Landry is leaving his mark. Democrats often paint him as a Trump loyalist, but Landry has shown he can work with both parties when necessary. Most notably, he recognizes New Orleans’ critical importance to the state’s overall success.
Some speculated his early actions aimed to take over New Orleans or secure a spot in a potential Trump cabinet. Neither has happened, nor is either likely. Instead, Landry has focused on pragmatic governance—though his methods are as divisive as his policies.
Leadership in Crisis
Landry’s finest moment came during the recent terror attack in New Orleans. His response was calm, strong, measured, and diplomatic. He worked to protect the city’s image and reputation, a stark contrast to others who sought to score political points.
Senator John Kennedy and Representative Steve Scalise immediately politicized the tragedy with reckless statements, painting New Orleans in a negative light. Their actions seemed rooted in the misguided belief that a struggling New Orleans somehow strengthens Louisiana. The foolishness of such partisan antics was glaringly obvious.

In contrast, Landry rejected this divisive rhetoric and instead prioritized unity. He continues to support New Orleans’ preparations for a safe and successful Super Bowl and Mardi Gras, recognizing the city’s vital role in Louisiana’s identity and economy.
Landry’s Perspective on New Orleans
Landry doesn’t govern from Baton Rouge in complete isolation from New Orleans. He has some perspective on the city, shaped by his visits and his own beliefs about its challenges. However, his understanding lacks the depth and nuance required to navigate the city’s unique complexities.
Even though he is not entirely removed from New Orleans, Landry doesn’t engage in deep collaboration with local leaders, including the mayor. Instead, he acts based on what he believes is right, taking decisive steps to address issues as he sees them. His efforts reflect a genuine desire to make a difference, even if his actions sometimes clash with the city’s established strategies and priorities.
Contrasting Approaches to Homelessness
This divergence is particularly evident in how Landry and New Orleans addressed homelessness under the Claiborne Avenue bridge. The city developed a comprehensive plan to support the unhoused, connecting them with housing, mental health services, food, and job opportunities.
Landry’s approach was starkly different. Ahead of Taylor Swift’s concert and the upcoming Super Bowl, he prioritized optics over long-term solutions. Without coordinating with the city, he rounded up the homeless and placed them in shelters. While this temporarily addressed the issue, many unhoused individuals returned to the streets within weeks, still lacking essential services.
Since then, Landry has begun coordinating more with city officials. State-supported shelters now offer services to unhoused individuals, marking some improvement. While his initial methods were criticized as shortsighted, the state’s involvement in addressing homelessness has grown under his leadership.

Special Sessions: Progress and Controversy
Landry has used three special sessions to tackle key issues, with varying degrees of success.
Redistricting Success
Landry’s first special session focused on redistricting. Louisiana’s Congressional and Supreme Court districts, previously gerrymandered to limit Black representation, were redrawn. As a result, the state now has a second Black-majority Congressional district, better reflecting its 33% African American population. Landry was also able to sideline Garret Graves, a political rival, permanently.
Tough on Crime
The second session addressed crime, with Landry pushing a tough-on-crime agenda. Juveniles now face harsher penalties, with 17-year-olds tried as adults for any crime. Juvenile criminal records, once shielded, are now publicly accessible.
While critics call these policies regressive, Landry campaigned on being tough on crime and is delivering on that promise. His law enforcement background as a former sheriff’s deputy and attorney general clearly informs his approach.
Tax Reform Challenges
Landry’s third session, focused on tax reform, was less successful. Moderate Republicans, led by Senator Cameron Henry, blocked several of his proposals. However, Landry secured a permanent sales tax increase, giving Louisiana the highest sales tax rate in the nation.
This policy shift moved the tax burden from corporations to the middle class and poor. Landry hopes this will attract businesses to Louisiana, though the long-term effects remain to be seen.
The Bigger Picture
Landry’s overarching goal is to make Louisiana a state where people want to live, work, and raise families. Currently, the state faces a population decline, with a 1.17% drop between 2020 and 2024. Louisiana consistently ranks last in quality-of-life metrics, a reality most residents know all too well.
Landry’s leadership is polarizing but decisive. His focus on tangible outcomes is reshaping Louisiana, but whether these changes will attract businesses and residents remains uncertain.
A State in Transition
Governor Jeff Landry is creating a new Louisiana, dramatically different from the one he inherited. His vision prioritizes results over consensus, often sparking debate about his methods and their implications.
Louisiana has nowhere to go but up in national rankings, and Landry’s policies aim to reverse decades of decline. If his approach succeeds, it could mark the beginning of a revitalized Louisiana. For now, the state remains a work in progress, guided by a leader unafraid to take bold, controversial steps.
It’s admirable that Black Source Media owner Jeff Thomas is endeavoring to present a balanced assessment of Gov. Landry’s attempts at running this state.
However, Landry’s penchant for interfering in local politics, New Orleans specifically, seems more like an underhanded attempt to take over the affairs of New Orleans, the economic engine of Louisiana., than helping to create safer streets.
Landry’s signature on legislation mandating the 10 Commandments be posted in public schools and holding third graders back if they flunk the language arts portion of a test that offers highly mature content (beyond the thinking capacity of 3rd graders), and increasing the sales tax when New Orleans’ sales tax was already higher than other parishes, doesn’t speak well of Landry’s intentions for the Crescent City.
It was Landry who appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court not to allow the non-unanimous jury law to be retroactive, when the Court found the law to be discriminatory and struck it down. His plea left at least 1500 inmates without the benefit of a new trial.
If Landry wants to do something for his constituents, the working poor specifically, he would get legislators to raise the minimum wage, offer and fund vocational education to all high school students, who opt out of college, fund remedial education programs for students in K-12, and offer incentives to tech and manufacturing businesses to locate in New Orleans East, among other investments he should make in New Orleans….
I’ll wait.