Tomorrow, an important decision, one that will affect Louisiana for the next six years, faces you. A seat in the United States Senate hangs in the balance.
It is time to turn this state around and elect someone who will make a change for Louisiana’s good. I will vote tomorrow for a lady who truly will make a positive impact on the Pelican State. The person I am talking about is Louisiana Department of Elections Commissioner Suzanne Haik Terrell.
You might question why I will vote for Terrell. Plain and simple, I believe she is the best candidate for the job. I pose this question — when was the last time you heard of a politician keeping his or her campaign promise and doing away with his or her own job?
Terrell promised while campaigning for Louisiana Commissioner of Elections in 1999 that, if elected, she would abolish the office she sought. One of the first things she did upon winning was fulfill this promise of abolishing the Department of Elections by transferring its responsibilities to another department.
Also, shortly after she entered office Terrell purged the corruption that had been associated with it for years. She wanted to restore the integrity to Louisiana’s voting process, and her way to do this was to cancel numerous contracts the previous elected commissioner had negotiated. The numerous reforms Terrell has made since her election have saved Louisiana taxpayers approximately $20 million dollars.
Believe it or not, Louisiana actually is near the top in something. Under Terrell’s leadership, Louisiana recently received an award for being one of the country’s best election systems. Terrell also developed and formed a Voter Fraud Unit, which helped reduce fraud in Louisiana’s elections. The hotline allows individuals to report illegal activities at polling places.
Another reason I feel Terrell is the best choice is she is not a career politician, like other senatorial candidates. Being the child of a political figure and before serving the last six years in the U.S. Senate, Mary Landrieu was a statewide elected official for a number of years. At the ripe age of 23, she began her climb to the top by being elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives. After serving two terms, she became Louisiana Treasurer for eight years. Following an unsuccessful 1995 gubernatorial bid, Landrieu decided to run for U.S. Senate in 1996.
What does Landrieu have to show for this life-long political career? As far as I have seen and researched, absolutely nothing. The National Taxpayers Union gave Landrieu an “F” rating, thanks to her 120 votes to raise taxes since 1997. This is just one of many negative things she has done for our state. Is this the type of leadership we need to represent Louisiana’s interests?
I don’t know about you, but I think it’s time to elect someone new with a vision for this state. The above examples just prove, like the commercials say, there is truly “something about Mary.”
My vote will be cast for someone I truly believe will help Louisiana. If Suzanne Haik Terrell exerts the same leadership qualities she has brought to the Department of Elections, I believe we will see a better state.
I urge each of you to consider the facts I just presented. If you want six more years of stagnant government with higher taxes and no improvement in Louisiana’s overall quality, then by all means, vote for Mary Landrieu.
Otherwise, vote with me for Suzanne Haik Terrell. Remember — you do have a part in deciding who will shape Louisiana’s future, so don’t forget to get out and vote. After all, every vote counts.