BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Democrats in the Louisiana House have lost a member from their already depleted ranks.
Bogalusa Rep. Malinda White has switched from the Democratic Party to no party registration.
The Advocate reports the switch gives Democrats just 33 of the 105 members in the state House and further diminishes the number of white, rural Democrats in the state Legislature. Independents now have three members, including White, and Republicans still have 68, two short of a super-majority. There is also one vacancy in a Democratic district.
White’s decision comes ahead of what is expected to be an historic veto session where Republicans will try to overturn Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards’ vetoes.
White said her decision to switch to no party affiliation isn’t related to the veto session later this month, and she declined to say where she stands on overriding the governor’s vetoes. She said she is “frustrated with party politics.”
“This decision came after many years of consideration for the people I represent,” White said in a text to the newspaper. “It was not a snap decision but one I have struggled with for a while.”
The party switch was first announced by political reporter Jeremy Alford.
