Air Force veteran seeks area congressional seat
The CourierSep 18, 2018
Savoie has recently been endorsed by the
Savoie is one of the first graduates of Emerge Louisiana, which is part of a national effort to prepare women to run for office. If elected, Savoie would be the first female representative of the
Four other challengers are in the running. They include Democrats
After retiring from the
"I needed to do more," Savoie said. "We need a different approach; people who will work across the aisle, people who are going to put our country above party and politics ... people above power."
Savoie holds a doctorate in psychology from the
When the state was redistricted in 2011, the southern portions of
The result is a lack of representation in
"It is time that
With a still-struggling economy that's shrinking at a rate of 10 percent a year, the area needs more investment from the federal level.
Savoie claims Scalise has ignored the needs of the
"Our incumbent,
The redistricting has left residents of
"Slitting parishes and cultural connection was a disservice to them," Savoie said. "With split representation, it's not been difficult for
Increasing investment in the local economy by supporting trade schools and craftsmanship is one way to help, she said.
Oil and gas, fishing and tourism are all local industries that "are really at the heart of what
Reforming the flood insurance program is another priority. Savoie said she supports a plan to reform the National Flood Insurance Program into a nationwide disaster insurance program.
"Home ownership is an American dream, but that's falling out of realm of possibility for many in coastal parishes because of flood insurance," she said.
It's important to support the residents of
The district has largely supported Republican candidates, including former Reps.
In the 2016 election, Scalise was re-elected with 75 percent of the vote. His closest challenger, Dugas, received 13 percent. Scalise's numbers were even higher in
But Savoie said the district, state and nation are ready for a change.
"We're getting ready to go all out and give it everything we've got," she said. "I absolutely believe that the district is ready for a change."
Representatives from Scalise's office couldn't be immediately reached for comment.
Staff Writer
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