... uh, you know, in the, in the, in, in, in the, in the 20th century.

Absolutely.

It's frightening to me.

We have to teach our children not only what happened in history and how we can learn from it, but to have pride in our country again, and that freedom is not free.

You know, I was just talking to my kiddos about our 250th birthday and they said, "Oh, my goodness.

Mom, we're so old as a country." And I said, "No, we're not.

We're really a baby republic.

What's been the most informative, the, the thing that has, you, you have found most, um, impactful in your time in Congress?

What can we do to help them? What can we do? Is there any more emergency assistance coming forth?

Mm-hmm.

So one thing that we've put our heads together because we know that there's always going to be a natural disaster, especially in Louisiana where I serve.

And one thing that we were able to get across the finish line, uh, in the One Big Beautiful Bill was an, uh, a, a bill for my timber industry.

So when timber loses their entire, uh, product, my goodness, it takes 30 years to replenish that.

We want to make sure that when they are, are...

when sh- tragedy strikes after a fire, that they can receive up to 75% of those, uh, disaster recovery dollaries, dollars upfront instead of having to front, uh, the cost themselves, which as you know, can take so much time.

I asked Congresswoman Letlow what can be done to improve the trade situation for our ag exports and the foreign imports that hurt our local producers?

Maybe take us back to that point, uh, and how your service in Congress has gone since then.

then.Well, thank you, uh, for that.

It's been the honor of a lifetime to pick up the torch and carry it forward.

As you know, you often are, uh, lock and step with, uh, your husband or wife in life, and it was such an incredible experience to see Luke serve the people of Louisiana.

And one thing that he taught me, uh, that if you never forget that this is not your seat, it's the people's seat, and you are here to serve them, and that should be at the forefront of every decision you make and every vote that you take, then you really can do a good job for the people that you serve.

And what a blessing that was for me to witness him live that out in his life.

And, uh, I never expected for the Lord to open this door, uh, for this path that I'm on.

What's been the most surprising thing to you about serving in the US House? What's been your best day, and what's been your worst day, uh, serving in elected office?

How are people sort of absorbing and reacting to, uh, economic issues right now? Do they have confidence in what the president is doing? Are they worried? Give us an idea of, of how you're, uh, uh, hearing these conversations from Republican voters.

In Louisiana, they trust the president wholeheartedly.

I think his numbers are still climbing in Louisiana.

It's hard to...

He's at 90% and climbing.

And they understand that there is a bigger picture at stake here.

He, uh, they understand, uh, the need for what he's doing in Iran to make sure that we are protecting American lives.

Maybe take us back to that point, uh, and how your service in Congress has gone since then.

Thank you so much, Congresswoman Julia Letlow.

Thank you so much, Tony.

It is so great to be back with you, and I'm grateful to be with everyone at MAHA Action today.

You know, the last time I joined you, we talked a lot about why this issue matters to me.

We talked about our children, our families, and the chronic disease crisis we are seeing all over this country, including here in Louisiana.

So today, I want to focus a little more on what we do next because I think most parents already know something is wrong.

They see it in their own homes.

So I'm just grateful for the work you do and, and so glad to have you come on this show, you know, time after time, I hope.

[dramatic music] This is Rob Maness Live.

An eight-year-old boy full of wonder and a six-year-old little girl jumping for joy.

My kids are the reason I wake up each day and work so hard.

They are my why, Jeremiah and Jacqueline.

I have a feeling your why is very similar to mine.

Your children, your grandchildren, they are the reason we all work so hard.

The future of America depends on them.

Mm-hmm

What's up with that?

Yeah.

So six years ago, gosh, y'all remember 2020 was such an awful time for our country.

I never want to go back to that.

But I was working in higher education at the time.

And DEI was presented to us as something that would encourage students to go and achieve the American dream.

And guys, I quickly witnessed it become something completely different.

Is there anything Landry's doing you don't agree with?

How did you make this decision?

Well, I definitely see, uh, public service as a calling more than anything else, and, uh, Louisiana was devastated by the vote that Senator Cassidy took, not just to impeach the president, but to convict him.

You know, when I was running for this seat six years ago, I heard about it wherever I went in my district.

People were distraught and upset that he turned his back on Louisiana and forgot that he represents the people of Louisiana by casting, uh, that judgmental vote, and they have not forgotten.

And I want to make sure that they have somebody they can depend on over in the Senate side who understands that this is not my seat.

It's the people's seat, and I'm here to represent them, and that I'm, I make sure that I know that this is me being in service to them and listening to their concerns and issues before I ever cast a vote or make a decision on their behalf.

Uh, they don't have to worry that I will ever waver when times are tough, that I make sure that I'm representing the people of Louisiana.

What do you say in response to that?

How did you make this decision?

Well, I definitely see, uh, public service as a calling more than anything else, and, uh, Louisiana was devastated by the vote that Senator Cassidy took, not just to impeach the president, but to convict him.

You know, when I was running for this seat six years ago, I heard about it wherever I went in my district.

People were distraught and upset that he turned his back on Louisiana and forgot that he represents the people of Louisiana by casting, uh, that judgmental vote, and they have not forgotten.

And I want to make sure that they have somebody they can depend on over in the Senate side who understands that this is not my seat.

It's the people's seat, and I'm here to represent them, and that I'm, I make sure that I know that this is me being in service to them and listening to their concerns and issues before I ever cast a vote or make a decision on their behalf.

Uh, they don't have to worry that I will ever waver when times are tough, that I make sure that I'm representing the people of Louisiana.

What do you say in response to that?

How do you think tomorrow plays out?

Well, tomorrow is the last day of early voting, and I am so proud and honored to have earned President Trump's endorsement in this race.

We are running strong, Todd, breaking away with this race, and I'm so grateful to his support.

And I don't know if you read, but during our debate earlier this week, my opponent, John Fleming, confessed that he is a paid employee of a Washington, D.C. lobbying firm while also serving as Louisiana State Treasurer.

I wish he could have been there to hear the mic drop when he admitted that.

So basically what that is is our State Treasurer, John Fleming, who is a duly elected official, is receiving a taxpayer-funded salary and monthly paychecks from a D.C. lobbying firm.

And we have no idea what he's being paid to do.

What is the big message to voters out there that you want to convey?

Well, do you think that this will have enough of an impact that it can actually help Republicans keep the majority even though the polling is not swinging their way right now?

I absolutely do.

And it is imperative that Republicans keep the House of Representatives because if they don't, on day one, we know the Democrats' playbook.

They will, uh, do everything they can, uh, to file articles of impeachment.

So it is absolutely imperative, uh, that Republicans hang on to the House so that we can continue this great work that we have already been doing with, uh, the White House and President Trump and his administration and see it all the way through for another, uh, two years.

So I could not be...

I can't state it enough how, uh, prouder, uh, I am of my home state, Louisiana, for leading this charge, uh, for our Attorney General Liz Murrill, um, for fighting so hard to make sure that this doesn't, that we don't have to worry about this anymore, and that people are confident in the districts that they will run in moving forward.

Tell us a little bit how that's playing out among Louisiana voters.

What can the members of the House do to push John Thune to do the right thing that the vast majority of Americans support? How do you have some push on him?

Well, I think it comes down to having a serious conversation about doing away with the filibuster.

You know, we've been pushing, okay, if we can't do it through the talking filibuster, then maybe it's time to go ahead and have that difficult conversation about nuking the filibuster.

About two weeks ago, I went ahead and called for it myself Because, again, I go back to President Biden allowing 15 million illegal immigrants to cross our border illegally.

That was intentional on the Democrats' part to help rig our future elections.

That cannot happen.

Eighty percent, just like you said, of Americans, Republicans, Democrats and independents agree you should have to show your voter I.D. in order to to vote in our election or some proof of I.D. And so I'm going to continue sounding that alarm.

How do we get there?

So for states like California that are so belligerent when it comes to complying with the president, how do we whip them into shape?

Well, I am so proud of the administration and the president for calling them out.

Uh, you know, you, we all remember what happened back in COVID.

Uh, for the first time, moms and dads were having the opportunity to sit down with their children and see what they were being taught.

And in these liberal states and these liberal school districts, parents were dismayed with what they were seeing, uh, in their children's curriculum, so they did the right thing.

They went to their school boards and lawfully voiced their concerns, and many were rebuffed, uh, escorted out, and many parents were put on a domestic terrorist watch list.

That should never happen in our country.

So do you anticipate that the demand for this type of woke ideology might go down because we're seeing the kids kind of step away from that whole thought process?

So for states like California that are so belligerent when it comes to complying with the president, how do we whip them into shape?

I am so proud of the administration and the president for calling them out.

We all remember what happened back in COVID.

For the first time, moms and dads were having the opportunity to sit down with their children and see what they were being taught.

In these liberal states and these liberal school districts, parents were dismayed with what they were seeing in their children's curriculum, so they did the right thing.

They went to their school boards and lawfully voiced their concerns.

and many were rebuffed, escorted out, and many parents were put on a domestic terrorist watch list.

Talk to us about it.

Mm.

I make no, uh, I, I do not direct it.

I do not, uh, direct stock trading.

None of it.

It's actually twice removed from me.

Uh, so Merrill w- worked with a, a third party in my investments because I knew how important it was to that, to make sure that I didn't have accusations like that.

It was brought to my attention, uh, last year that they were not reporting the filing on time for the disclosures.

Mm.

It's a shame, isn't it?

It's absolutely a shame.

If you ask me, education is the answer.

If you give a child an education, you give them a future.

And I am so thrilled what Secretary McMahon has announced this week, that she will be returning power back to the states where it belongs.

In my home state of Louisiana, we are leading the charge.

We were actually the first state that she visited on her national tour.

Do you think the Department of Education should be disbanded?

What do you think of that?

I completely agree.

And I've actually asked that my paycheck be withheld.

We're talking about federal employees not receiving their paycheck, but being required to show up on the job.

I definitely should not receive a paycheck as well.

And that goes for every Congress member.

The onus of this shutdown falls squarely on the shoulders of Democrats.

Seems like an odd priority, doesn't it?

I assume you speak to some of your Democratic colleagues, what are they saying to you privately?

Well, they're a bit worried because, uh, this has turned into an absolute fiasco for them.

Uh, they're losing on the messaging.

Uh, uh, when we talk about what this means, uh, what they were actually asking for, uh, the Democrats, they shut the government down because they want $1.5 trillion in new spending, a- and because they simply hate President Trump.

Uh, so this shutdown is absolutely driven by politics.

It's nonsensical, and it's not be- what's best for the American people.

And my colleagues across the aisle, most of the sensible ones, know that to be true.

Would it be for New Orleans only, or for New Orleans and, and Baton Rouge?