District 22 State Rep eyes 5th Congressional District seat
District 22 State Representative Gabe Firment (R) of Dry Prong, LA, received an ovation of applause last Wednesday, July 1, as he formally announced the start of his campaign to run for the Fifth Congressional District seat of the House of Representatives. The House of Representatives seat, which was vacated by Julia Letlow as she ran for U.S. Senate, serves 24 parishes, including LaSalle, Caldwell, Catahoula, Richland and Tensas parishes. As of right now, Firment is the only person to announce publicly to seek the seat from any parish in central Louisiana or among the southern parishes of the district known as the “Florida Parishes.” Two other candidates have announced, both from the Monroe area.
“My favorite Bible verse is Joshua 1:9, which says, ‘Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest,’” Firment said as he began in speech in front of a packed Rue 22. “This verse has commanded me through my life, and I’ve got a feeling that I will be coming back to this verse many times over the next few months, because today, we begin an exciting journey – I am officially announcing that I am running for Congress in the 5th District.”
Firment, who is nearing the end of his second term as District 22 State Rep., noted that as a Congressman, he will continue to serve with the same integrity as he has in the Legislature.
“Almost exactly eight years ago, I announced that I was running for state representative in District 22 and my entire campaign at that time was based on one word – Trust,” he said. “I promised the people of District 22 that if you elected me you could trust me to serve with humility, honesty and integrity and I have done my very best to live up to that promise.”
“I also promised you that I would never forget where I came from and that I represented people back home and not special interest in Baton Rouge. I promised that I would work hard, that I would answer the phone when you called and that I would be there when you needed me. I promised that I would always fight for the traditional values that make America and Louisiana great – Faith, Family and Freedom. I make those same promises to you today,” he continued.
“Our nation is in a state of great turmoil today,” Firment said. “There are people and factions at work right now who would love nothing better than to see America fall and to see us abandon our pledge to uphold and protect the sacred rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness that is given to every man, woman and child of God – not by government.”
“We need representatives in Washington who will fight for what’s right, stand up for Truth and lead with courage, conviction and character. That is what I will do as your next Congressman. I have proven these past seven years in the state legislature that I will not back down from a righteous fight, I will not compromise my values, and I will not sacrifice my integrity for personal ambition or the pursuit of individual wealth,” he said.
He went on to recount how he has stood up against plaintiff attorneys and big insurance companies to see the most comprehensive insurance reforms in the history of the state, how he’s passed numerous bills in cooperation with law enforcement to make communities safer, how he fought to ensure children were not subject to irreversible gender-transition procedures and how he has brought in millions of dollars in infrastructure investments in the rural communities he represents.
He also explained that the reason he held his announcement in Dry Prong was not only because it was his hometown, but also the small village is located in the heart of the Fifth Congressional District.
“One more promise to you today,” he said. “I will represent the entire district, all 24 parishes, every single village, town and city; every single farmer, rancher, logger, teacher, police officer, small business owner – every single family in this district from Bastrop to Ball to Bogalusa. I will be there for you.”
“We need someone in Washington who truly understands life in rural Louisiana – someone who understands what it’s like to pay a mortgage, struggle with the high cost of gas, utilities and groceries – someone who sends their kids to public school, someone who goes to high school football games on Friday nights and to church on Sunday morning,” Firment continued. “We don’t need another self-serving politician in Washington. We need a proven conservative who delivers results and that’s exactly what I will do.”
He ended his announcement by singling out the greatest motivation in his life.
“There is nothing more important to me than serving the Lord,” he said. “Eric (his wife) and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is God’s will for our lives, that He has a plan for us and that He is sovereign over all things. We are putting this campaign and this election into His hands and no matter the outcome, God is going to be honored and glorified.”
For more information about Firment’s Congressional campaign, visit his Facebook page: Gabe Firment for Congress.
