Houma business attorney Ravi Sangisetty, the Democratic nominee in the 3rd Congressional District, said he wants the field of candidates to discuss a wider range of issues before the Nov. 2 general election, beginning with infant mortality rates. Sangisetty wants infant mortality debate
Houma business attorney Ravi Sangisetty, the Democratic nominee in the 3rd Congressional District, said he wants the field of candidates to discuss a wider range of issues before the Nov. 2 general election, beginning with infant mortality rates.
"Every single parish in this district has an infant mortality rate higher than the national average," says Sangisetty, who is pro-life like the race's other contenders. "This is a moral imperative. The federal government hasn't delivered for the children of south Louisiana."
He added that is should be viewed as an extension of the abortion issue.
"Being pro-life is about protecting the born and unborn," Sangisetty says. "Creating a culture of life means we need to protect our infants."
The national infant mortality rate average is 6.22 deaths per 1,000 live births, while the 3rd Congressional District, which includes portions of Acadiana, suffers 8.5 deaths per 1,000 live births.
"We need to fund prenatal care in this country and make sure that expecting mothers have the resources to safely carry their children to term," Sangisetty adds.
Downer gets nod from good government group
The Alliance for Good Government last week endorsed the campaign of Hunt Downer of Houma, one of the candidates in the 3rd congressional District's Republican primary runoff. Jeff Landry, a New Iberia attorney and businessman, is on the Oct. 2 ballot as well and competed for the group's endorsement Thursday evening.
The alliance was created in 1967 consists of four parish chapters, including Orleans, Jefferson , St. Bernard and St. Tammany. It's a nonprofit advocacy group that strives for accountability and effectiveness in government.
Downer is a former speaker of the state House and a retired major general with the Louisiana National Guard.
PEC's still falling behind Landry
Landry already has the support of a majority Louisiana Republican party's parish executive committees in the 3rd Congressional District, including Ascension, Assumption, Iberia, Lafourche, St. Charles, St. James, St. John and St. Martin.
Last week, St. Bernard Parish Executive Committee puts its support behind Landry as well. That means the only 3CD parishes not on the board are Terrebonne, which is expected to stay out of the race, and Plaquemines, which is expected to back Landry in coming weeks or stay neutral, depending on its fluctuating membership.
Landry also has the backing of the Louisiana Republican Party and a sizable portion of its leadership. Critics contend there's one main reason Downer fell behind in the hunt - he was once a registered Democrat, previously campaigned for President Bill Clinton and served in the cabinet of former Gov. Kathleen Blanco. But Downer has managed to pick up an endorsement from the JeffersoJefferson Parish Executive Committee, which is also the parish with the fewest number of voters in the district.