Changes

In a special legislative session on Memorial Day 2018, Republican Majority Leader Harris obtained House passage of his legislation to keep one-third of a one-cent [[sales tax]] scheduled for expiration. The one-third part of the tax is projected to raise $369 million annually, less than the $648 million of additional revenue sought by Democratic Governor [[John Bel Edwards]]. A supermajority was required for passage of a tax, 76–26, as it developed with passage on the second attempt. Harris said that his bill would reduce government spending by 1.3 percent next year because it would still require some cuts, "but not catastrophic" ones.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/2018/05/28/breaking-house-passes-sales-tax-second-try/649217002/|title=Breaking: House passes sales tax on second try|date=May 28, 2018|author=[[Greg Hilburn]]|accessdate=May 29, 2018}}</ref> Then the state Senate added other tax increases to Harris' House bill, and the House declined to go along with the Senate.

In a special legislative session on Memorial Day 2018, Republican Majority Leader Harris obtained House passage of his legislation to keep one-third of a one-cent [[sales tax]] scheduled for expiration. The one-third part of the tax is projected to raise $369 million annually, less than the $648 million of additional revenue sought by Democratic Governor [[John Bel Edwards]]. A supermajority was required for passage of a tax, 76–26, as it developed with passage on the second attempt. Harris said that his bill would reduce government spending by 1.3 percent next year because it would still require some cuts, "but not catastrophic" ones.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/2018/05/28/breaking-house-passes-sales-tax-second-try/649217002/|title=Breaking: House passes sales tax on second try|date=May 28, 2018|author=[[Greg Hilburn]]|accessdate=May 29, 2018}}</ref> Then the state Senate added other tax increases to Harris' House bill, and the House declined to go along with the Senate.

Harris' leadership against Edwards' tax proposals drew the fire of an irate long-term Rapides Parish [[Sheriff]] William Earl Hilton, a Democrat born October 12, 1945, who was reelected with 75 percent of the vote in the 2015 nonpartisan blanket primary against three Republican challengers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=Election Returns (Rapides Parish)|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=June 11, 2018}}</ref> Hilton referred to the possibility that ten thousand state prisoners could be released if the cuts required by the recently approved state should become a reality. Hilton placed responsibility on Harris: "Lance has got it in his craw that this is what we're gonna do, and it's my way or no way. It's my way or the highway." Harris called Hilton's outburst more of "the worst political scare tactics I've seen."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thetowntalk.com/story/news/2018/06/08/fed-up-rapides-sheriff-says-hell-return-state-inmates-if-cuts-come/685005002/|title='Fed up': Rapides sheriff says he'll return state inmates if cuts come|author=Melissa Gregory|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk''|date=June 8, 2018|accessdate=June 11, 2018}}</ref>   

Harris' leadership against Edwards' tax proposals drew the fire of an irate long-term Rapides Parish [[Sheriff]] William Earl Hilton, a Democrat born October 12, 1945, who was reelected with 75 percent of the vote in the 2015 nonpartisan blanket primary against three Republican challengers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=Election Returns (Rapides Parish)|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=June 11, 2018}}</ref> Hilton referred to the possibility that ten thousand state prisoners could be released if the cuts required by the recently approved state budget should become a reality. Hilton placed responsibility on Harris: "Lance has got it in his craw that this is what we're gonna do, and it's my way or no way. It's my way or the highway." Harris called Hilton's outburst more of "the worst political scare tactics I've seen."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thetowntalk.com/story/news/2018/06/08/fed-up-rapides-sheriff-says-hell-return-state-inmates-if-cuts-come/685005002/|title='Fed up': Rapides sheriff says he'll return state inmates if cuts come|author=Melissa Gregory|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk''|date=June 8, 2018|accessdate=June 11, 2018}}</ref>   

Ultimately, Harris lost out in his bid to restrain the 2018 state budget and keep tax increases at a minimum. Republican House Speaker [[Taylor Barras]] of New Iberia, who earlier had joined Harris and House Appropriations Committee chairman John Cameron Henry in holding the line on tax increases, suddenly reversed himself and joined with the Edwards administration to approve keeping .45 percent of a temporary one-cent state sales tax.<ref>''[[Moon Griffon|The Moon Griffon Show]],'' June 26, 2018.</ref>

Ultimately, Harris lost out in his bid to restrain the 2018 state budget and keep tax increases at a minimum. Republican House Speaker [[Taylor Barras]] of New Iberia, who earlier had joined Harris and House Appropriations Committee chairman John Cameron Henry in holding the line on tax increases, suddenly reversed himself and joined with the Edwards administration to approve keeping .45 percent of a temporary one-cent state sales tax.<ref>''[[Moon Griffon|The Moon Griffon Show]],'' June 26, 2018.</ref>

Harris was a candidate to succeed Barras as House Speaker. However, he withdrew in a Republican caucus meeting held on December 13, 2019, and the members, at least the required fifty-three, tapped [[Sherman Mack]] of Livingston Parish, who began his third and final term in the House, as the new Speaker. Mack, however, was rejected by the full House, as twenty-three [[Moderate Republicans]] joined with the Democrats and the Black Caucus to install Moderate Republican [[Clay Schexnayder]] of Ascenion Parish as Speaker. These Moderate Republican dissenters are known as the [[Louisiana Republican Fraud Squad]], and some are believed to be supporte4rs of [[Joe Biden]]'s presidential bid.<ref>''The Moon Griffon Show,'' December 16, 2019.</ref>

Harris was a candidate to succeed Barras as House Speaker. However, hbudgete withdrew in a Republican caucus meeting held on December 13, 2019, and the members, at least the required fifty-three, tapped [[Sherman Mack]] of Livingston Parish, who began his third and final term in the House, as the new Speaker. Mack, however, was rejected by the full House, as twenty-three [[Moderate Republicans]] joined with the Democrats and the Black Caucus to install Moderate Republican [[Clay Schexnayder]] of Ascenion Parish as Speaker. These Moderate Republican dissenters are known as the [[Louisiana Republican Fraud Squad]], and some are believed to be supporte4rs of [[Joe Biden]]'s presidential bid.<ref>''The Moon Griffon Show,'' December 16, 2019.</ref>

In March 2020, Harris announced his candidacy to succeed fellow Republican [[Ralph Abraham]], a failed candidate for governor in 2019 who is vacating Louisiana's 5th congressional district seat. In the nine-candidate primary held in conjunction with the presidential election on November 3, 2020, Harris finished in second place with 17 percent of the vote. The then entered a runoff with the top-finishing candidate, [[Luke Letlow]], who drew 33 percent of the ballots cast. Letlow is Abraham's former chief of staff.

In March 2020, Harris announced his candidacy to succeed fellow Republican [[Ralph Abraham]], a failed candidate for governor in 2019 who is vacating Louisiana's 5th congressional district seat. In the nine-candidate primary held in conjunction with the presidential election on November 3, 2020, Harris finished in second place with 17 percent of the vote. The then entered a runoff with the top-finishing candidate, [[Luke Letlow]], who drew 33 percent of the ballots cast. Letlow is Abraham's former chief of staff.