NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Republican leaders in Louisiana are poised to gain more influence in Washington as President-elect Donald Trump begins his second term.

As Republicans await the final tally for a possible House majority, two prominent Louisiana Republicans, House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, have already positioned the state for a potentially substantial role in policymaking under Trump.

“We are going to have the most aggressive 100-day program that has ever been seen in the modern era. And we have to make it all right,” President Johnson said shortly after winning his fifth term.

Johnson, a Trump loyalist, is putting Louisiana front and center in the Republican-led House, granting the state a direct line to the president.

On election night, President Johnson told a friendly crowd about a conversation he had with Trump on the campaign trail.

“President Trump told me, Mike, we have to leave everything on the field. And we did it. We left it all on the field, and some of you know I was four inches taller when I got this job. They beat me mercilessly. We will continue,” President Johnson said.

Fox 8 political analyst Mike Sherman says Louisiana’s strong Republican support for Trump could soon produce powerful results.

“Louisiana has always punched above our weight in Congress and in the administration. Currently, both top members of the House leadership are from Louisiana, including the Speaker of the House. I expect that dominance to continue in a Trump administration within the House, but also potentially within the Trump administration,” Sherman said.

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Sherman says Trump’s transition team has been working on putting together a cabinet well before Election Day, with perhaps a few familiar Louisiana names in the mix.

“Garret Graves, the current Louisiana congressman who didn’t run for reelection when his district was wiped out, could be a top choice for a position in the Trump administration. Former Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal could be back for the runoff. He was once an opponent of Donald Trump, but could become a potential health secretary. Jeff Landry was attorney general. He was certainly part of the Trump MAGA movement, certainly someone close to President Trump. He could be a leading contender for a top job, such as attorney general. It would be really hard to see Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry leave the job he just took over this year, but if President Trump calls and offers him something as attorney general, that will also be a job pretty hard to turn down,” Sherman said.

Trump’s victory also opens the door to policies that could directly benefit Louisiana, Sherman says.

“Earmarks are back in Congress. This means that if you have a powerful member of Congress from your state, they can send money directly to you. So I expect this will directly benefit Louisiana. Additionally, controlling the agenda, such as opening up more drilling, is a priority for Louisiana’s leaders in Congress. And finally, we are prone to hurricanes. Ensuring that FEMA’s bucket is filled could certainly happen with Louisiana’s leadership in Congress,” Sherman said.

Fresh off winning his ninth term Tuesday night, Congressman Steve Scalise said that if the GOP takes control of the House, he plans to maintain his position as House Majority Leader and stick to the agenda America First that Trump and the MAGA Republicans campaigned on.

“Over the last few months, what I’ve heard from people here is that they want to see food and energy prices go down. They want secure borders. These are all things we can do,” Rep. Scalise said.

A Republican-controlled White House and Congress would mirror the dynamics of Trump’s first two years, potentially positioning Louisiana as a focal point for conservative policies on energy, the economy and disaster response.

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