The state chapter of Americans For Prosperity was launched in January and there's a guarantee of revenue from the national organization throughout the first year.
Americans for Prosperity President Tim Phillips was in Louisiana recently meeting with donors and prospects. Sources describe his visit as part of a long-term strategy to create a financial foundation for the state chapter here.
Phillip Joffrion, AFP's state director, confirmed Phillips spent two days in meetings and visiting the conservative group's local offices. Those familiar with the visits add they learned AFP will be steering clear of the state's competitive congressional races, but will be ramping up its involvement in the U.S. Senate election.
"We are positioning ourselves to build a sustainable program to have an impact on public policy in the state," Joffrion said.
That means meeting with state legislators across the state to work on model legislation for the 2015 session that focuses on free market principles and a "laundry list of other issues," he added. AFP is likewise "monitoring the positions state legislators took this session and the votes they made."
AFP currently has three permanent field offices: one in Baton Rouge, where it is headquartered, and one each in New Orleans and Lafayette. There's also a satellite office in Shreveport. There are five full-time staffers and 12 part-time employees, with an eye to growing that in the future along with its field operations.
The state chapter was launched in January and there's a guarantee of revenue from the national organization throughout the first year, Joffrion said.