BREAKING: Adrian Perkins Announces Run for U.S. Senate
Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins has announced he is running for U.S. Senate against incumbent Bill Cassidy.
Perkins released this statement on his campaign website:
I’m running for the United States Senate because our country and Louisiana are at a crossroads. Washington’s political games are making us sick. My experience is different than most politicians, and it’s time to take a new road. I hope you will join me, we can get there together.
Here's the full statement from the Mayor:
I come from a neighborhood in Shreveport called Cedar Grove, and very often times were tough. But in Cedar Grove I also learned strength and persistence. My grandparents, my stepfather, and my brothers were always there to guide and support me. My mother worked multiple jobs so our family could make ends meet. Even when times were toughest, she never buckled under the pressure. As a family, we persisted, and they made me the man I am today by showing me that through faith and hard work, I could accomplish anything.
After leaving the Army and graduating Harvard Law School, I had several lucrative offers at big city law firms, but home was calling. I returned to my hometown of Shreveport, where it’s been my honor to serve as Mayor. In my first year on the job, we balanced the budget, lowered crime, and brought new jobs and economic opportunities for our residents.
But now, our nation is being ravaged by a deadly virus and an economic crisis that’s only being compounded by the political games in Washington. We know Louisianans will find the courage to face big challenges because we’ve done it before. We need representatives in Washington who will have that same courage and who will never leave Louisiana behind.
Times like this call for leadership, and that’s why I’m running for United States Senate. It’s time to take our shared Louisiana values of service, honesty, and courage to Washington, D.C. It’s time for Louisiana to have a Senator who isn’t afraid to stand up to special interests and who will protect our health care, our jobs, and our kids’ future.
If I learned anything growing up in Shreveport and in the Army, it’s that nobody succeeds alone. That’s why I need you with me in this campaign. In this time of hardship, let’s run together to give Louisiana a United States Senator whose first value is service and who will help build a better Louisiana for all.
LSUS Political Science Professor Dr. Jeff Sadow says the Democrats are trying to find a candidate that could mount a formidable campaign against the Republican incumbent and if "the party fails to find a candidate who can mount a substantial campaign they could risk demotivating Democrats from participating in future elections."
KEEL News got this statement from Senator Cassidy's spokesman Ty Bofferding:
Not even done with his first term and Mayor Perkins is already abandoning his post as COVID-19 cases in Shreveport rise. Meanwhile, Dr. Cassidy is working with medical experts on efforts to beat the Coronavirus. Louisiana needs leaders that look for solutions, not exit strategies.