Lafayette Reporter

Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) addressed the Senate floor, emphasizing the disconnect between Washington, D.C., and the broader American public, particularly Louisianians.

"Every time I leave Washington, D.C., and go back home to America, I am reminded of how parochial Washington, D.C., can be—how removed it can be, how unaware it can be," Kennedy stated. He criticized the notion prevalent in the capital that "the American people just don’t understand" or are uninformed compared to those in Washington.

Kennedy referenced a poll he conducted to counter this perspective. "About 70% of my people in Louisiana follow the news every single day," he reported.

The senator detailed various sources from which Louisianians obtain their news:

- "Thirty-nine percent of the people in Louisiana get their news from cable TV."

- "Another 21.1% get their news from morning and evening broadcast television—not cable—local television news and national television news."

- "Twenty-seven percent of my people get their news primarily from the internet."

- "Radio news is also important in my state. Seven percent of my people listen to radio news as their primary source of news."

- "Only 4% of my people receive their news today from newspapers."

Kennedy concluded by noting that perceptions in Washington often do not align with realities outside the capital: "Sometimes we get it wrong in Washington, Mr. President, in terms of our perceptions of what's going on in real America."