Julie O'Donoghue

'The Light Switch,' Episode 43: The closed primary debate • Louisiana Illuminator This year’s congressional midterm elections in Louisiana are the first in decades using closed party primaries —  except they’re not really closed.

In last week's episode of our podcast, I talked to two people about Louisiana's new closed party primary. Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser is opposed to closed primaries and former state Rep. Julie Emerson is in favor of them. #lalege

lailluminator.com/podcasts/clo...

Q&A: Lt. Gov. BIlly Nungesser on closed party primaries • Louisiana Illuminator Nungesser has been an outspoken critic of Louisiana's new closed partisan primary system that is in effect for the May 16 election.

"I think the real push for this was to beat Bill Cassidy for Senate. Let’s call it like it is.

That appears to me to be the real focus of why this was kind of pushed down our throats." - Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser on the new closed party primaries. #lalege

lailluminator.com/2026/03/09/n...

Louisiana legislators propose changes to closed party primaries that haven’t been used yet • Louisiana Illuminator Holding a closed primary for just the BESE offices alongside the jungle primary next year would cost the state at least $6 million more in election expenses, Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry ...

Louisiana's new closed party primary system won't be used for the first time until May 16, but legislators are already proposing to change it, even before it's started. #lalege

lailluminator.com/2026/03/09/c...

Q&A: Julie Emerson on closed primary elections • Louisiana Illuminator Emerson was the sponsor of the 2024 legislation that set up the new closed party primary system.

A little primer on closed primary elections from @jsodonoghue.bsky.social

Q&A: Julie Emerson on closed primary elections
lailluminator.com/2026/03/09/e...

Louisiana legislators propose changes to closed party primaries that haven’t been used yet • Louisiana Illuminator Holding a closed primary for just the BESE offices alongside the jungle primary next year would cost the state at least $6 million more in election expenses, Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry ...

Louisiana legislators propose changes to closed party primaries that haven’t been used yet lailluminator.com/2026/03/09/c... (from @jsodonoghue.bsky.social) #lalege

'The Light Switch,' Episode 43: The closed primary debate • Louisiana Illuminator This year’s congressional midterm elections in Louisiana are the first in decades using closed party primaries —  except they’re not really closed.

LISTEN: We hear from two GOP state officials — Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser and Landry chief of staff Julie Emerson — who are on opposite sides of the debate over whether closed party primaries are here to stay — or one and done after this year. @jsodonoghue.bsky.social interviews both

What I will say is Kennedy did, for years, make drawing attention to corruption, shady government contracts, etc. a big part of his brand here in Louisiana. That he called out Noem for wasteful spending seemed like a throwback to his state treasurer days for me.

I've been trying to come up with something insightful or clever to say about Sen. John Kennedy taking down Kristi Noem when Gov. Jeff Landry seemed to have hitched his wagon to her and Lewandowski. But I honestly don't know if these two things are related. #lalege

Gov. Landry has to convince Senate president to spend more on private school vouchers • Louisiana Illuminator Sen Cameron Henry is the most prominent skeptic of LA GATOR, which would greatly expand the amount of public funding going toward private education expenses.

Gov. Jeff Landry says he'll try to convince Senate President Cameron Henry to spend more public funding on private school tuition/other expenses.

“I think it’s fair to say that he probably has a little bit of PTSD from the Jindal years."

lailluminator.com/2026/03/04/l... #lalege

Gov. Landry has to convince Senate president to spend more on private school vouchers • Louisiana Illuminator Sen Cameron Henry is the most prominent skeptic of LA GATOR, which would greatly expand the amount of public funding going toward private education expenses.

GATOR GAFF: Gov. Landry said he hopes to convince Senate President Cameron Henry, a fellow Republican, to spend more state money on his signature private school voucher program. Henry said he wants to see results first. @jsodonoghue.bsky.social reports

The Department of Homeland Security oversees the guest worker visas the crawfish industry needs. @LAGovJeffLandry is friends with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

But yesterday, Landry said it's up to Louisiana's congressional delegation to fix this problem. #lalege

Louisiana crawfish industry struggles with limited foreign workers, ag commissioner says • Louisiana Illuminator Crawfish processing plants in Louisiana are at a diminished capacity this year because they haven’t been able to get as many visas for the foreign guest workers, Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain s...

Louisiana's crawfish plants are operating at a diminished capacity because Kristi Noem and the Trump administration have capped foreign guest worker visas, according to Ag Commissioner Mike Strain. #lalege

lailluminator.com/2026/03/04/c...

Louisiana crawfish industry struggles with limited foreign workers, ag commissioner says • Louisiana Illuminator Crawfish processing plants in Louisiana are at a diminished capacity this year because they haven’t been able to get as many visas for the foreign guest workers, Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain s...

VEXED OVER VISAS: Crawfish processing plants in Louisiana are at a diminished capacity this year because they haven’t been able to get as many visas for the foreign guest workers who make up their labor force, according to state Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain. @jsodonoghue.bsky.social reports

Q&A: SNAP benefit restrictions with LDH Secretary Bruce Greenstein • Louisiana Illuminator In an interview, Louisiana Health Secretary Bruce Greenstein discusses new restrictions on food purchases for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, sometimes referred to as food stamps.

I interviewed Health Secretary Bruce Greenstein about the new restrictions to SNAP (food stamps) in Louisiana.

You can read a written version of our interview here:

lailluminator.com/2026/03/02/q...

At a legislative budget hearing in Baton Rouge this morning, the Louisiana National Guard says there are guardsmen serving within missile range of Iran at the moment. #lalege

'The Light Switch,' Episode 42: Food stamp changes • Louisiana Illuminator Louisiana officials have put new rules in place for what you can buy with SNAP benefits, what we often call food stamps.

LISTEN: Louisiana has changed its rules for what you can and can't buy with SNAP benefits. Health Secretary Bruce Greenstein explains the reasons behind the changes w/ @jsodonoghue.bsky.social .

Wedding

Wedding

Wedding

Happy anniversary to Jed! Six years married. Almost 10 together. I love you.

Alex Ovechkin scores 920th and 921st career goals against Canadiens The Washington Capitals lost to the Montreal Canadiens 6-2 at Bell Centre Saturday night, but there was at least one positive. Alex…

Alex Ovechkin scores 920th and 921st career goals against Canadiens russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2026/02/28/a...

And HUDSON!

Men's team players! Connor Storrie! WOMEN'S team players!

Live from New York! It's Hockey Night Live!

'The Light Switch,' Episode 42: Food stamp changes • Louisiana Illuminator Louisiana officials have put new rules in place for what you can buy with SNAP benefits, what we often call food stamps.

On our podcast this week, I talked to Bruce Greenstein about the recent restrictions placed on SNAP (food stamp) purchases in Louisiana.

You can listen here! #lalege

lailluminator.com/podcasts/lig...

What foods are forbidden under Louisiana's new SNAP rules? Take our quiz. • Louisiana Illuminator See what foods will be restricted Louisiana's SNAP program for the next two years through our quiz.

TAKE OUR QUIZ: Louisiana residents who use SNAP benefits to buy groceries face new restrictions on their purchases. Find out what you can and cannot buy before you're at the checkout line. By @jsodonoghue.bsky.social

What foods are forbidden under Louisiana's new SNAP rules? Take our quiz. • Louisiana Illuminator See what foods will be restricted Louisiana's SNAP program for the next two years through our quiz.

Louisiana has placed new restrictions on SNAP (food stamp) purchases. Thousands of soda, energy drink and candy products are no longer eligible purchases.

But that doesn't mean ALL chocolate and soda is gone.

Take my quiz on what is SNAP eligible!

lailluminator.com/2026/02/26/w...

Louisiana juvenile justice system costs grow as state locks up more youth • Louisiana Illuminator The costs of running Louisiana’s juvenile justice system surged over the past seven years as elected officials decided to keep more teens and young adults in youth prisons.

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Gov. Jeff Landry's proposed budget for juvenile justice is $226.6m, almost double what the agency received 7 years ago in 2018/19.

Spending grew under Landry and former Gov. John Bel Edwards, as youth prison populations grow. #lalege

lailluminator.com/2026/02/24/l...

Louisiana juvenile justice system costs grow as state locks up more youth • Louisiana Illuminator The costs of running Louisiana’s juvenile justice system surged over the past seven years as elected officials decided to keep more teens and young adults in youth prisons.

The costs of running Louisiana’s juvenile justice system surged over the past seven years as elected officials decided to keep more teens and young adults in youth prisons. @jsodonoghue.bsky.social reports:

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry wants the Trump administration to expand its investigation into diversity, equity and inclusion policy and practices at the state’s public colleges and universities. #lalege #lagov

Louisiana mifepristone lawsuit could hinder telehealth abortion nationwide A hearing is set for Tuesday in a federal lawsuit led by Louisiana seeking to further restrict access to mifepristone by asking the courts to stop abortion pills from being mailed across the…

A hearing is set for Tuesday in a federal lawsuit led by Louisiana seeking to further restrict access to mifepristone by asking the courts to stop abortion pills from being mailed across the country.

via @elishabrown.bsky.social

Gov. Landry's social media accounts.

I did a bit of a review of Gov. Jeff Landry's social media posts over the last seven days (since Mardi Gras day). Here's a breakdown of the topics discussed. I looked at X, Instagram and Facebook. Both official office and public political accounts. #lalege

Kennedy on AOC

Alcohol sales, alcohol-related tourism - and yes bar tenders - are more important to Louisiana's economy than many other states I suspect.

Both Democrats and Republicans come to Sen. John Kennedy's state (New Orleans specifically) to be served alcohol.

Josh Guillory

It seems like a deliberate choice on the part of the St. Martin Parish Sheriff's Office to post former Lafayette Mayor-President Josh Guillory's mugshot on the official Facebook page.