House Speaker Mike Johnson has drawn four challengers in his District Four race – two Republicans and two Democrats. One of those Democrats is Conrad Cable, a fifth-generation farmer from, appropriately, Farmerville. Cable says Johnson and his fellow Republicans have enacted policies that have decimated Louisiana farmers.
“Our No. 1 crop, soybeans, it used to be a billion-dollar industry in 2017. And today, we don’t even make half of that,” Cable said.
The other Democrat on the District Four primary ballot is Matt Gromlich of Greenwood. He comes from a different background – he’s a long-time educator, currently teaching at LSU-Shreveport. As such, education issues are among his top priorities should voters send him to Washington.
“Making sure that we’re providing food for our students, so they don’t go to school hungry, making sure that we’re looking at ways to establish universal pre-K for our residents,” Gromlich said.
While Cable and Gromlich differ in backgrounds, they’re on the same page when it comes to their criticism of the speaker and his role in shaping the current national political discourse. Cable says this country is on fire, and Johnson is largely to blame.
“The very fabric of our constitutional republic, it’s laws and institutions, are stretched to the breaking point. My Congressman, Speaker Mike Johnson, has enabled it at every step of the way,” Cable said.
Gromlich accuses Johnson of prioritizing Republican donors and special interests and ignoring the people of the Fourth District who he represents.
“What I’ve heard from a lot of people, as I’ve been out canvassing and attending different events, is that they haven’t ever met Mike Johnson or seen Mike Johnson. Or that he comes into town and he goes to the Independence Bowl, and then he leaves again,” Gromlich said.
Johnson’s two Republican challengers are Mike Nichols of Pitkin and Joshua Morott , who lists his home as Benton, Arkansas, but claims to be a resident of Louisiana, as required by law in order to be elected to the U.S. House.
Speaker Johnson released the following statement upon qualifying:
“It is the greatest honor to serve the people of Louisiana’s 4th District as Congressman and the 56th Speaker of the House, and I am grateful to qualify for re-election and continue fighting for our region in Congress. Working together with President Donald Trump, we have delivered lower costs, American energy dominance, peace through strength, and working families tax cuts that will save families in our District nearly $1,300 in tax hikes. However, there is much more to do,” said Speaker Mike Johnson. “As a husband, dad, constitutional law attorney, and son of a Shreveport firefighter, I will never stop fighting for the principles that have made Louisiana and America great and made our region the greatest place to live, work, and raise a family.”
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