Changes

==Lastrapes and GOP growth in Acadiana==

==Lastrapes and GOP growth in Acadiana==

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Years after leaving the mayor's position, Lastrapes was asked to give his take on why Republicanism took root in Acadiana. Here is his verbatim reply:​

Years after leaving the mayor's position, Lastrapes was asked to give his take on why Republicanism took root in Acadiana. Here is his verbatim reply:

 

"Well, the oil industry brought in a lot of people. You know, this was not as homogenized, if you can say it that way, a group of people, or citizens, where it once was maybe 90 percent [[Cajun]], 90 percent Catholic. A lot of that changed when the oil industry developed so strongly beginning in the fifties and people from [[Texas]], [[Mississippi]], [[Oklahoma]], [[California]], whatever, came into the state, many of them still here, and they became a pretty nice blend of oil industry and local Cajuns. And many married locally and so on. So you've had that blend over the years, and I think some influence came into play too, not that we don't have some conservative Cajuns; we do, a fair number, but the influence of a lot of the oil people coming from these states. It was mostly a conservative influence that had a little play on the flavor of politics locally, and still does to this day. I would say most, somebody would maybe challenge me, but I would say most of the people in the oil industry tend to be on the conservative side of politics and today mostly on the Republican side of politics."​

Well, the oil industry brought in a lot of people. You know, this was not as homogenized, if you can say it that way, a group of people, or citizens, where it once was maybe 90 percent [[Cajun]], 90 percent Catholic. A lot of that changed when the oil industry developed so strongly beginning in the fifties and people from [[Texas]], [[Mississippi]], [[Oklahoma]], [[California]], whatever, came into the state, many of them still here, and they became a pretty nice blend of oil industry and local Cajuns. And many married locally and so on. So you've had that blend over the years, and I think some influence came into play too, not that we don't have some conservative Cajuns; we do, a fair number, but the influence of a lot of the oil people coming from these states. It was mostly a conservative influence that had a little play on the flavor of politics locally, and still does to this day. I would say most, somebody would maybe challenge me, but I would say most of the people in the oil industry tend to be on the conservative side of politics and today mostly on the Republican side of politics."​</blockquote>

==References==

==References==