Bogalusa Rep. Malina White
State Democrats are losing yet another rural lawmaker as Bogalusa Representative Malinda White announces her departure from the Democratic Party in favor of going independent and registering under the No Party label.
LaPolitics.com publisher Jeremy Alford said this is the first major-party defection at the Capitol in nearly ten years. Alford spoke with White after she made the decision.
“She told me that she had grown frustrated with the partisan politics of Baton Rouge that she was sent to the Capitol by the voters of her district not to represent a party but to represent issues and ideas,” said Alford.
It is unclear which party White intends to caucus with going forward.
Former Louisiana Democratic Party head Stephen Handwerk spoke about the loss Friday Morning on Talk Louisiana. He said it’s a sad situation and indicated it may at least partially have been the result of intraparty friction.
“The conversation during the legislative session was especially difficult for her especially on the bills that she was hauling,” said Handwerk. “I think some of the attacks that she got from the left probably hurt a lot more and I think that that probably certainly lent itself to her making this decision.”
Alford said White’s decision to leave the party is part of an ongoing theme that’s seen Democrats hemorrhage support outside of the major cities.
“I think if there is a theme amongst Democrats in discussing this issue in the wake of Representative White’s decision is just how difficult it has become for rural Democrats to represent their districts and engage in politics at the Capitol and to produce results,” said Alford.
White was first elected in 2015 as a Democrat.
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