Less than a month after issuing a press release indicating his intention to seek a third term on the City-Parish Council, Keith Patin of District 8 has had a change of heart.
In a statement issued late Wednesday to The Independent, Patin says he’s “not prepared mentally” to serve another four years on the panel.
Community activist Carol Ross has confirmed that she will seek the seat. The president of Edge Communications, Ross has ties to south Lafayette’s tea party movement and promises to bring “strong, conservative leadership” to the District 8 seat, according to a report by radio station KPEL.
Here's what Patin tells The Independent about his decision to bow out of the race:
As the election date gets closer, I have come to realize I am not prepared mentally to do all of this again. It’s just that simple. I am really tired. The past two years have been difficult ones for me and for my family. With the adjustments and moving forward with our personal and professional lives, there is still much for us to do as a family.
Even after eight years this isn’t an easy decision. Others have and will now express the desire to serve the people of Lafayette Parish on the City-Parish Council. That kind of public service can only be a positive thing for our parish and our families. We will have a new City-Parish President and perhaps other new faces and voices on our Council and in the Legislature. It is the right time for me to step aside and focus on private life. I trust and hope that candidates for public office will conduct positive, issue-oriented campaigns that focus on what is best for Lafayette Parish rather than political ambitions. We have much to be proud of here as we work to have an even better Lafayette Parish. Let’s continue to do so together.