Julia Letlow touts MAGA clout as opponents attack her DEI past • Louisiana Illuminator

Former University of Louisiana at Monroe President Nick Bruno remembers his former communications chief, Julia Letlow, as an infectiously optimistic and pushed administrator.

“I’m one of her biggest fans, I don’t mind saying that,” Bruno mentioned.

Letlow, consultant for Louisiana’s fifth Congressional District since 2021, labored for Bruno throughout your entire 10 years of his presidency till he left the place in 2020. During her marketing campaign for US Senate, it has been Letlow’s time at UL-Monroe that is been positioned underneath extra scrutiny than her document on Capitol Hill.

A shift in expectations from his bosses, the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors, close to the top of his tenure led the college to do extra to advertise variety, fairness and inclusion, Bruno mentioned. DEI practices have been put in place a long time in the past and have become customary in faculties and universities in each crimson and blue states. Since the 2020 racial justice protests, DEI applications have turn into a goal for conservative politicians.

Letlow’s opponents, significantly incumbent US Sen Bill Cassidy, have used DEI to attack her, noting she as soon as endorsed the practices as a school administrator and described herself as a “progressive leader” when she unsuccessfully utilized to succeed Bruno as UL-Monroe president.

“I, too, have heard the tapes and heard recordings of her position on DEI,” Bruno mentioned. “I can’t say how dedicated she was to that or not dedicated. I do know that it was the expectation of the [UL campus] presidents to embrace DEI inside the system.”

“She never expressed any position for or against DEI at any time in my administration,” Bruno added.

Hundreds of former school college members have gone on to serve in Congress, together with former US House Speaker Newt Gingrich. The leap Letlow comprised of college administrator to politics is way much less frequent. In an more and more politicized period for greater schooling, it’s extra frequent for a politician to turn into an administrator than the opposite manner round.

Letlow can also be one among 22 present members of Congress with a doctoral diploma. She obtained her Ph.D. in communications from the University of South Florida in 2012. Her dissertation centered on sudden household loss and was devoted to her late brother, Jeremy, who died in a automobile wreck when she was a youngster.

President Donald Trump, who has endorsed Letlow, has fanned the flames of the faculty tradition wars with investigations into DEI and anti-Semitism on campus, together with a probe of the Louisiana Board of Regents.

Letlow’s marketing campaign declined to make her out there for an in-person, telephone interview for this text earlier than deadline. Through her marketing campaign, she agreed to answer questions by e mail.

When requested about her assist for DEI throughout her time at UL Monroe, Letlow mentioned the requirements had been introduced as a technique to broaden alternatives for college students to attain the American dream.

“But what I saw firsthand was that it was hijacked by the radical left and turned into something else entirely,” Letlow mentioned through e mail. “It became about division, ideology, and identity politics. Once that became clear, I opposed it, and I’ve spent the last five years in Congress fighting against it.”

Letlow’s campus-to-Congress story is exclusive in different methods.

She was by no means meant to be the politician in her household. Her husband, Luke Letlow, was a longtime Republican operative and chief of workers to former US Rep. Ralph Abraham. When Abraham determined to not run for re-election in 2020, Luke ran for his boss’ seat and received.

But simply days earlier than he was set to be sworn into workplace, Luke died from COVID-19 issues at age 41, leaving Julia as a widowed mom to a toddler son and a child woman.

Julia ran for Luke’s seat in a particular election, received and has secured re-election twice.

“I was grieving the loss of my husband, raising two small children, and stepping into a role I never expected to take on, all at once,” Letlow mentioned. “But I also felt a deep sense of responsibility to my family, to our district, and to the people Luke was preparing to serve, and I leaned on my faith every step of the way.”

“I also felt strongly that I wanted to be an example for my children — that when life knocks you down, because it will — will you give up, or will you get up and keep moving forward with faith and hope?” Letlow mentioned.

Today, their son Jeremiah, 8, is a historical past lover, and daughter Jacqueline, 6, is on her technique to changing into a singer, Letlow mentioned.

Letlow additionally just lately grew to become engaged to lobbyist and lawyer Kevin Ainsworth. The pair introduced their pending nuptials on the White House Christmas Party final yr, and she or he has since relocated her household from the Monroe space to Baton Rouge.

Weeks after the social gathering, Trump introduced his endorsement of Letlow within the US Senate race — earlier than she had even introduced she was operating.

Letlow mentioned Trump known as her and personally requested her to run.

“I prayed about it, talked with my family, and ultimately decided to step forward because I believe in what he’s fighting for and I believe Louisiana deserves a senator who will work with him and not against him,” Letlow mentioned.

Letlow is referring to Cassidy, who voted to convict Trump in his 2021 impeachment trial following the tried rebellion on the US Capitol on Jan. 6 of that yr. Although Cassidy has since tried to get again within the president’s good graces, his opposition to Trump at a pivotal motion has haunted him.

“That raised serious questions about trust and judgment, and I believe this race is about whether our state has a senator who is aligned with the people and their values,” Letlow mentioned of Cassidy’s vote to convict Trump.

Since incomes his endorsement, Letlow has cozied as much as Trump and infrequently invokes his signature “Make American Great Again” slogan. She’s additionally taken a web page out of her marketing campaign playbook, limiting her participation in boards and rejecting most broadcast debates. She took half in her first Senate race debate earlier this week, hosted by conservative radio host Moon Griffon.

Cassidy, who Griffon refers to as “Psycho Bill,” skipped the occasion, leaving Letlow and the opposite GOP contender, state Treasurer John Fleming, to take aim at each other.

Letlow defended his choice to skip televised debates, arguing it was necessary to make use of a format that “currently reaches Louisiana Republican voters.”

Trump’s assist has not translated to fundraising adequate to shut the hole with Cassidy, who continues to steer each her and Fleming by tens of millions.

Campaign finance experiences launched final month present Letlow raised simply shy of $2 million within the first quarter of this yr, in comparison with the $2.5 million Cassidy raised. Fleming raised solely $45,000.