Lafayette gets a dose of old-fashioned politicking when candidates for elected office across the parish gather at the Horse Farm to make their pitches to voters. The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26.
The Stump Speech at the Horse Farm is an unprecedented collaboration among local news media. The Independent, The Advertiser, The Acadiana Advocate, KADN, KATC, KLAF, KLFY, 96.5 KPEL and AOC have teamed up to give voters an intimate glimpse of the candidates for City-Parish Council, city-parish president, sheriff, assessor and state legislative seats. More than two dozen candidates have confirmed their participation.
The media collaboration that City Parish President Joey Durel built around Project Front Yard facilitated the spirit of cooperation that made The Stump Speech at the Horse Farm possible. “It was really the first time that all of us in the media had been recruited to commit collectively to such a massive community mission,” says Independent Co-Ppublisher Cherry Fisher May of Durel’s initiative. “After Project Front Yard proved it could be done, Daily Advertiser Publisher Judi Terzotis actively followed up with me and others to encourage another opportunity. And because of IberiaBank’s on-going commitment to The Independent’s Lecture Series, our events division had the resources to get the ball rolling.”
May credits AT&T’s Regional Director Donna Byrne with the idea for The Stump Speech. “Over lunch a year ago, Donna and I were talking about what an important election year 2015 would be,” explains May. “She mentioned how much she missed the old time town square gatherings where a community could congregate to hear from candidates, sometimes speaking from something as simple as a tree stump for a stage.” As the event took shape, AT&T added its support as a sponsor, and later Acadian Ambulance signed on as well.
The Stump Speech at the Horse Farm is a free event and coincides with the weekly farmer’s market.
Here’s the schedule* or click here for the PDF:
10:00 a.m. Opening Remarks by The Independent’s Pearson Cross
Invocation by Rev. Zachary Sasser, First Presbyterian Church
National Anthem by Northside High School Chorus
10:15 a.m. Senate District 23
KLFY — Julie Darce
Terry Hughes
(Incumbent Page Cortez has to work)
10:25 a.m. Council District 2
KLFY — Julie Darce
Charlotte Stemmans Clavier
(Incumbent Jay Castille declined)
10:30 a.m. Council District 3
The Advocate — Richard Burgess
(Ursula Anderson will be out of town)
Pat Lewis
John Peterson
Incumbent Brandon Shelvin
10:55 a.m. City Parish President
The Advocate — Richard Burgess
Joel Robideaux
Dee Stanley
11:10 a.m. House District 45
The Advertiser — James ‘Flax’ Flachsenhaar
Andre Comeaux
Jean-Paul Coussan
Jan Swift
11:30 a.m. Council District 4
The Advertiser — James ‘Flax’ Flachsenhaar
Incumbent Kenneth Boudreaux
11:40 a.m. Council District 5
KATC — Alex Labat
Monique Koll
Incumbent (Jared Bellard — no response)
11:50 a.m. Council District 6
KATC — Alex Labatt
Alicia Chiasson
Bruce Conque
Incumbent (Andy Naquin has to work)
Sevie Zeller
12:15 p.m. Council District 7
KADN — Jon Arnold
Nanette Cook
Joseph ‘Bobby’ Richard
12:30 p.m. Tax Assessor
KADN — Phillip Boudreaux
Incumbent Conrad Comeaux
Rachelle Falgout
12:45 p.m. Council District 8
KPEL — Ken Romero
Carol Ross
Liz Webb Hebert
Gerald Judice
1:05 p.m. Sheriff
KPEL — Dr. John Sutherlin
Rick Chargois
Mark Garber
Chad Leger
John Rogers
1:30 p.m. Closing Remarks by City-Parish President Joey Durel
Call to Voters by The Independent’s Walter Pierce
*Times are approximate.
Candidates will draw straws to determine speaking order in each time slot.
_
[Councilmen Kevin Naquin, unopposed in District 1, will be on tour with his band. Councilman William Theriot of District 9, also unopposed, did not respond to The Stump Speech’s invitation.]_