How to Test Negative for Stupid

How to Test Negative for Stupid is a political memoir told in a fast, punchy, joke-laced voice by U.S. Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana. The book moves between two tracks: (1) how Kennedy became the kind of public official who talks plainly and (2) what he has seen inside state government, campaigns, and the U.S. Senate that convinces him bureaucracy, groupthink, and performative politics often replace real problem-solving.

Across stories ranging from substitute teaching to hurricane response to confirmation hearings, Kennedy argues that good government depends on accountability, transparency, and the willingness to challenge bad ideas publicly. Along the way, he describes Louisiana’s culture and his own education and career path, then uses Washington episodes to illustrate what he views as institutional dysfunction—especially around media incentives, Senate procedure, and politicization of federal agencies.

• Listeners who enjoy candid political memoirs with heavy humor and inside-baseball stories from campaigns, state government, and the Senate.
• Anyone curious how Senate procedure, hearings, and nominations work in practice, explained through real anecdotes.
• Readers interested in Louisiana politics, Hurricane Katrina-era governance challenges, and the making of a “plain-spoken” political brand.

John Neely Kennedy is a United States senator from Louisiana, first elected in 2016 and reelected in 2022. Before the Senate, he served five terms as Louisiana state treasurer, was secretary of the Louisiana Department of Revenue, and worked in the administration of Governor Buddy Roemer. He practiced law, taught as an adjunct professor at LSU Law School (2002–2016), and has volunteered as a substitute teacher in Louisiana public schools. He studied at Vanderbilt University, the University of Virginia School of Law, and Oxford University (Magdalen College).