Rob Maness, the candidate who finished third behind Bill Cassidy and Mary Landrieu in Louisiana's most recent United States Senate election, has announced he is officially a candidate to replace retiring Senator David Vitter.

Maness, a retired United States Air Force Colonel, had been expected to enter the race for Vitter's seat but it now it's official. Col. Maness told reporters his reasons for running are based on what he believes is a call from the people of the state of Louisiana.

The people of Louisiana are demanding that outsiders, who will stand and fight that have proven leadership experience outside of politics, go to Washington and make Washington work for us again.

Part of Maness' platform is based on the fact that he is not a Washington insider.  The 32-year Air Force veteran has never held political office and he believes that is a positive aspect of his campaign.

The folks that have gone up the career political track have absolutely failed and they've had their chances.  The only way we're going to be able to fix Washington is with outsiders from the outside.

Col. Maness also believes his background in the military will serve him and the people of Louisiana well when he is elected to the United States Senate.  He told the Louisiana Radio Network that in order for Washington to change that people who are not a part of the political system will need to be elected.

...who aren't beholden to any special interests and who'll walk into the Senate on day number one and turn things upside down just like people like Ted Cruz, Senator Rand Paul, Senator Mike Lee did.

Colonel Maness joins a field of four other Republican candidates who have officially announced their intentions to run for the United States Senate in the upcoming election.

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