Family says a lot about a person. My father was a Democrat and is the reason that I registered “Democrat” at 18 years old – 42 years ago! At that time, the “Republican Party” was in its infancy. My beloved wife, Cindy, is a Republican. So, the first person I talk to every day, and the last person I talk to every night, is a smart, Republican woman. And I listen to her advice! My sister and brother-in-law are actually elected Republican judges in Caddo Parish. My sister, Frances Jones Pitman, is on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. She is brilliant and dedicated, and I couldn’t be more proud of her. Her husband, Mike Pitman, on the district court, is an avid runner, and expert marksman. Although I think that I could “out shoot” him if we competed. I ran both of their campaigns and was proud when they won. My family of choice includes my childhood friend James E. Stewart, Sr. He’s a Democrat and is doing an exemplary job as our new Caddo Parish District Attorney.
When you look at my family, what you should see is a willingness to work across party lines, to see people and not politics, and look for the best idea regardless of the source. The people of the 4th District deserve someone who won’t be partisan, who won’t hold our future ransom for political interests, and who will stand up for both our values and our pocketbooks. I’m not pretending to be that person. I live that life every single day.
I am proud of our party’s bipartisan efforts: neither party has a monopoly on good ideas or smart people. We have smart and dedicated people on both sides of the Congressional aisle. It would be a tragedy to only be willing to work with one group of people in Washington. I won’t make that mistake. I will work only for the people of the 4th District and I’m ready to do that from Day One.
