Louisiana State Treasurer John Fleming spoke to a local audience about his background in public service, the responsibilities of the state treasury and his campaign for the U.S. Senate on March 4 at a State Budget Update luncheon held by the Natchitoches Area Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by the Natchitoches Parish Journal.
Fleming was elected state treasurer on Nov. 18, 2023, and was sworn into office on Jan. 8, 2024. A physician, entrepreneur and military veteran, Fleming previously served as the U.S. representative for Louisiana’s 4th Congressional District. Following his time in Congress, he held several positions during the administration of Donald Trump, including deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, assistant secretary of commerce for economic development and deputy chief of staff to the president.
Before entering politics, Fleming served as a naval medical officer and later opened a medical practice in Minden, where he still lives with his wife, Cindy. The couple has four children and six grandchildren.
During his remarks, Fleming described his upbringing in a working-class household and said those experiences helped shape his approach to public service. He said he views his role in government as that of a “servant leader,” emphasizing responsibility to taxpayers.
Fleming detailed the primary duties of the state treasurer’s office, which include managing and investing state funds, overseeing debt approvals through the Louisiana Bond Commission and administering the state’s unclaimed property program.
According to Fleming, the treasury manages hundreds of millions of dollars in investments and works to maintain the state’s financial stability. He said Louisiana currently maintains strong reserve funds and recently saw its bond rating improve, which allows the state to borrow money at lower interest rates.
Fleming also encouraged residents to check the state’s unclaimed property program, which holds more than $1 billion in assets that belong to Louisiana residents. The funds can come from sources such as uncashed checks, forgotten deposits, insurance payments or inheritances. He said the average claim is about $900, though some claims can reach much higher amounts.
Another topic Fleming highlighted was government transparency, particularly in education spending. He said the state recently launched a public website that allows residents to review financial and performance data for K–12 public and charter schools, including payrolls, contracts and other expenditures.
Fleming said the transparency effort has already uncovered questionable spending in some school systems and charter schools. He said the goal is to ensure that education funding is reaching classrooms and teachers rather than being diverted to unnecessary expenses.
In addition to discussing his role as treasurer, Fleming addressed his campaign for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by incumbent Bill Cassidy. Fleming said he announced his candidacy about 15 months ago and has been campaigning across the state.
During the question-and-answer session, Fleming also addressed concerns about insider trading by members of Congress. He said he supports stronger restrictions on lawmakers trading individual stocks while in office and noted that he personally avoided such trading during his time in Congress.
Fleming said reforms aimed at increasing transparency and reducing conflicts of interest are important to maintaining public trust in government.
Fleming also discussed the rapid growth of artificial intelligence and the infrastructure needed to support it, including the expansion of large-scale data centers. He noted that AI systems require enormous computing power, which in turn demands significant electrical capacity and physical server infrastructure. Fleming said states that can provide reliable energy, available land and strong fiber networks will be better positioned to attract these facilities and the economic development that comes with them. He described AI and data centers as an emerging industry that could play a major role in shaping future investment and job opportunities.
