by Jensen Young
I promised I would write a Louisiana runoff version of the Mid-Term Prayer Guide, and I will get one out that reflects where things are. We have several great candidates that need prayer, and runoffs can’t be taken for granted. In 2008, the 4th District was generally among the most conservative districts in Louisiana; the Republican candidate, Dr. John Fleming, won by fewer than 400 votes. It took the greatness of Grant Parish, who was in the 4th at that time, to put him over the top.
Pray for Gabe Firment
Speaking of the greatness of Grant Parish, today’s (November 5) prayer is for the District that Grant Parish now resides in, Louisiana Congressional District 5, and more specifically for one of Grant Parish’s great residents, Louisiana State Representative Gabe Firment. He has served locally as the Chairman of the Board of Deacons at First Baptist Pollock. He has been a faithful conservative leader in the Louisiana legislature. He was the call I got immediately before the one about Congressman-Elect Luke Letlow’s death, and he was genuinely excited about working with Luke to improve Louisiana’s Congressional District 5. I had vowed to stay out of the race during the primary, with many other good Republicans running who have now endorsed him. You can see the humility and honor of this servant leader in his social media post yesterday.
“After a day of reflection, I am even more humbled by your support and grateful for the opportunity to advance to the December 12 runoff against Democrat Pat Moore. I give God the glory and thank every friend, supporter, and volunteer who helped us reach this point.
To Erica and our family: your love, prayers, and sacrifices have sustained me throughout this journey. Sharing this moment with you is my greatest blessing.
I want to express my sincere appreciation to my four fellow Republican candidates—Representative Michael Echols, Senator Stewart Cathey, Misti Cordell, and Austin Magee. Each called to congratulate me and expressed a sincere desire to work together to improve the lives of the people of Louisiana’s Fifth Congressional District. Their graciousness and commitment to service mean a great deal to me.
All five of us recognize the importance of unity and cooperation moving forward, especially in light of last night’s national election outcomes. We are united in our commitment to conservative values, defending our constitutional republic, and creating greater opportunity for Louisiana’s citizens.
The work ahead will be challenging. If entrusted with victory in the runoff, I will approach that responsibility with humility, conviction, and respect for everyone I serve.
Thank you for your trust and continued prayers. May God bless Louisiana and the United States of America.”
I quietly voted for my friend Gabe in the primary for many of these reasons, and on election night when it was clear he was the winner, I sent him a donation as I did in 2014 when Dr. Ralph Abraham was in a similar spot. I encourage you to pray for Gabe today and throughout this runoff, send him some $ if you can,
https://www.firmentforcongress.com/donate
and if you live in Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District, go ahead and make a plan to vote early for him during the Nov. 28-Dec. 5th voting period for the December 12 election. Of note, on Sunday, November 29, you can honor God by attending a worship service at one of Louisiana’s great churches, but it’s the only day in that period when you can’t vote early.
Pray for Blake Miguez
I’ll be working on the rest of the guide later today and on Friday, December 6. Pray for the 6th District of Louisiana Republican candidate, State Senator Blake Miguez, who finds himself in a runoff on the same day as Gabe in Louisiana Congressional District 6. I don’t live in CD 5, but my church membership at Jefferson Baptist in Baton Rouge is in the heart of CD 6, and if for some reason the rest of the guide isn’t done or published by then, I don’t want my church members and others calling me and wondering why I didn’t mention my good friend Blake.
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Behind Every Blade of Grass
There’s a running joke around our office that Citizens for a New Louisiana is hiding behind every blade of grass. We’ve heard stories about government officials reconsidering questionable decisions because they were worried we’d find out. That’s a remarkable return on an investment we never made: "reaping where we did not sow, and gathering where we scattered no seed." But there’s something important in here, too.
Our little flashlight has earned us a reputation for bringing things to light. Now many officials act as if someone is watching, even when there isn't. That’s the real value of our government transparency work. It's more than just exposing wrongdoing after the fact. We've created an environment where public officials think twice.
Of course, we can’t actually be behind every blade of grass. There are thousands of public meetings, countless government transactions, and more questionable decisions than our small team could ever hope to investigate. But with your help, we can keep them wondering.
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