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THE LOUISIANA DEMOCRATIC PARTY ISSUES THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT AT THE REQUEST OF SEN. JOHN BREAUX

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                          CONTACT:  Julie Vezinot

THE LOUISIANA DEMOCRATIC PARTY ISSUES THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT AT THE REQUEST OF SEN. JOHN BREAUX

“Ever since Governor Kathleen Blanco announced she was not running for re-election I have expressed my strong interest in running for Governor.

I did so because I have received an enormous amount of encouragement and numerous requests to enter the race from people across our state.  My interest would be to provide leadership in order to help bring our people together, regardless of party.  The issues of healthcare, education, economic growth, crime and many others need to be our focus and solutions can only be achieved with bipartisan cooperation.

Because questions were raised about my eligibility to run and efforts were made to prevent my running through advertising attacks, I said that I would be guided by an opinion of our attorney general.  I have always felt that this issue needed to be settled as soon as possible so that the governor’s election could be about the important challenges we face and not about me personally.”

“The Attorney General has stated he cannot issue an opinion on the facts of this very important matter.  I was hopeful that an unambiguous declaration would clearly state what I have believed from the very beginning:  I am a citizen of the state and therefore qualified to run for Governor of Louisiana.  While I appreciate the hard work of the Attorney General and his office, the failure of a clear declaration of my status as a citizen greatly inhibits my ability to conduct a campaign based on the issues instead of the law. 

I said I would be guided by the Attorney General’s opinion and therefore will not be a candidate for Governor.  For me to run now means that we would face a campaign based on an eligibility to run, with the prospects of being in a courtroom only weeks before the election.  That is not in the best interest of our state or what this election should be about.

This is a crucial time for Louisiana.  The election must not be an old style campaign of political destruction, but a debate on who has the best ideas and who can best implement them into public policy. 

We must also do everything we can to encourage our people to return to Louisiana, to be involved in public service, in business and help unite and build a new and better Louisiana.

I plan to stay involved in anyway that I can to be helpful in that process.  I was born in Louisiana, my entire career has been in service to Louisiana and I will always be a Louisianian. 

Finally, let me say to all of the many people who encouraged me to run how much Lois and I sincerely appreciate your faith in me, your support and most importantly your true friendship.  We will never forget how much you have meant to me and my family.”

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• Breaux statement