Former Dem House candidate released ad explaining decision to switch to GOP

Louisiana House candidate Elbert Guillory released an advertisement explaining his decision to switch from the Democratic to the Republican Party, arguing it is the GOP that has the history of championing the rights of the Black community.

"It was the right decision, not only for me, but for all my brothers and sisters in the Black community," Guillory said in the ad, explaining his decision. "The Democratic Party has created the illusion that their agenda and their policies are what's best for Black people. Somehow, it's been forgotten that the Republican Party was founded in 1842 as an abolitionist movement." 

The ad comes just over a week before Guillory faces off with four other candidates in Louisiana's primary election, with Guillory being the only Republican candidate in the field.

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Louisiana uses a majority-vote system, with all candidates, regardless of party, competing in the same election. If a candidate is able to get over 50% of the vote, that candidate wins the election outright. If no candidate is able to achieve the 50% mark, the two top candidates will then compete in a runoff election the following month.

Guillory served in the Louisiana House from 2007 to 2009 and the state Senate from 2009 to 2016. He switched his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican during his time in the state Senate in 2013.

In his new ad, Guillory explained the decision as a simple one, arguing that Democrats have done little to actually help the Black community.