When all four of conservative Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry’s proposed constitutional amendments were soundly defeated Saturday — about twice as many voters voted against them as for them — he responded with insults, condescension and misinformation. The governor should have acknowledged that Louisianians didn’t want what he was selling and graciously accepted the will of the voters. Instead, as has become typical for some conservative politicians, the governor blamed political extremists and George Soros.
As has become typical for some conservative politicians, the governor blamed political extremists and George Soros.
“Soros and far left liberals poured millions into Louisiana with propaganda and outright lies about Amendment 2,” Landry said in a statement. “Although we are disappointed in tonight’s results, we do not see this as a failure. We realize how hard positive change can be to implement in a State that is conditioned for failure.”
His statement is problematic for multiple reasons. Not only does he insult the good people of our state, but he also ignores that, as The Advocate newspaper of Baton Rouge reported, people from opposite sides of the political spectrum joined forces to thwart his plans to allow the formation of specialty courts in Louisiana, to move hundreds of millions of dollars from the state’s savings accounts into the general fund, to send more minors to adult prisons and to change the rules regarding some judicial elections.
Soros has funded many worthy projects over the years, but Landry’s desperate attempt to make him the reason his amendments were rejected Saturday won’t fly. Our movement was built from the ground up, led by organizations — including mine, the Power Coalition — that have been working in Louisiana for years, organizations that communities trust. The people of this state came together, educated themselves and made an informed decision at the ballot box.
That is democracy in action and a defining moment that shows that despite the political headwinds, when we educate and we fight — we win.
But many conservatives talk as if there’s a villain — named Soros — behind every effort to oppose them. Elon Musk was heckled in Wisconsin on Saturday as he stumped for the conservative running for the state’s Supreme Court election. He said, “It was inevitable that at least a few Soros operatives would be in the audience.” While Soros had donated $2 million to Wisconsin’s Democratic Party during the judicial race, Musk and PACs he funds had put $20 million into the race that Democrat Susan Crawford won Tuesday.
But let’s be clear: Our victory here in Louisiana wasn’t about money or political insiders. It was about people. The Liberty and Dignity Coalition was powered by a coalition of more than 50 organizations, all committed to protecting our communities and standing against harmful policies. At the heart of this fight was the leadership of Sarah Omojola at the Vera Institute, and Kristen Rome at the Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights, Power Coalition, VOTE (Voice of the Experienced), Invest in Louisiana and a network of trusted, community-based organizations worked together to ensure voters had a clear analysis and understanding of each amendment. Each of those organizations led its own education and outreach efforts.
This was organizing at its best. We took to the streets, held town halls and met people where they were. We broke down complex policies, listened to the concerns of everyday Louisianians and prompted those we met to understand the power of their voices and their votes.
Louisiana officials routinely schedule amendment voters on dates when they think turnout will be abysmally low and only people motivated to vote yes will show up. That was the plan this time. The governor and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., unaware that their microphones were on at a White House last week, were heard discussing the percentage of voters expected to show up.
“What’s the anticipated turnout?” Johnson asks.
Landry says, “Well, we thought it was going to be 12, but it looks like it might be 18%.” “That’d be huge for an election,” Johnson said, “I mean, for an amendment vote.” The 21% turnout, though still low, was nearly double what Landry had thought it would be. And that was enough to send a signal. Black voters led the charge, making up 37% of early voters, and voters made it clear that they won’t stand for policies that put political interests over the well-being of their communities. Yet, instead of respecting the will of the voters, the governor dismissed them, and conservative legislators are scrambling to put the same amendments back on a future ballot. Such tone-deaf leadership is why voter engagement is on the rise. Voters are clear their leaders aren’t listening to them. I don’t believe Louisiana is unique in that regard. I believe the spirit that animated voters here is spreading across the country and that politicians who are counting on public apathy to move their problematic agendas forward should be worried. Voters are tired of being ignored, and they refuse to be manipulated. And they will not sit idly by and watch what they love about their states and their country be destroyed. CORRECTION (APRIL 3, 2025, 11:37 a.m. ET): A previous version of this article misstated the named a group of organizations that opposed Louisiana’s constitutional amendments. It’s the Liberty and Dignity Coalition, not the Dignity and Liberty campaign.
Ashley K. Shelton
Ashley K. Shelton is the founder, president and CEO of the Power Coalition, a statewide civic engagement table in Louisiana that builds power in historically disenfranchised communities through organizing, advocacy and civic engagement. Under her leadership, the coalition has educated and engaged over a million voters statewide. Using an integrated voter engagement strategy, the organization focuses on increasing voter participation and supporting base-building organizations in growing long-term capacity. 
