Ellison joins race for seat in Congress

Published 8:06 am Saturday, June 25, 2016

Greg Ellison, a businessman and retired Army officer, said he is running for Louisiana’s 3rd Congressional District seat because he wants to protect citizens’ safety and get rid of the national debt.

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Ellison is one of several Republican candidates vying for the seat, now held by Rep. Charles Boustany, R-Lafayette. Boustany is not seeking re-election and is running for the U.S. Senate seat held by David Vitter.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Ellison told the</span> <span style="font-style: italic;" class="R~sep~ACopyBody">American Press</span> <span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">editorial board Friday that America’s two biggest threats are ISIS and the national debt. He criticized “career politicians who can’t or won’t say the words ‘radical Islamic jihadist’ ” when discussing incidents like the recent mass shooting in Orlando or the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“That really handicaps the Department of Justice, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security,” he said. “The (incidents) all cry out as ISIS influenced, inspired or directed.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">At 17, Ellison volunteered to join the Army during the Vietnam War and later graduated from West Point. He was deployed to Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War and served as the operations officer of the 1st Calvary Division artillery.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Despite his military background, Ellison said he would only support the U.S. entering into a war “if the valid interests of the U.S. are at stake.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“It’s a last resort,” he said. “I’d rather deter war, but the best way to keep us safe is a strong military.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">If elected, Ellison said he would push to get the federal budget balanced within 10 years. He also supports imposing term limits for federal elected officials, saying they should serve no more than six years.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Ellison co-owns Kitty Hawk Energy Partners, a Lafayette-based oil and gas company founded in 2004. He said the U.S. should do everything it can to become energy independent, a move that will help national security.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Ellison said the country needs to transition away from federal welfare programs and a “dependency on government” to people choosing to work. He said he supports removing federal regulations and shrinking the size of federal government.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Ellison said the condition of the Interstate 10 bridge causes him to “pause every time I go over it.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“We can’t have a weak link by not having good infrastructure here in Lake Charles,” he said.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Ellison said the state should put up its share of matching funds to dredge the Calcasieu Ship Channel.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Other GOP candidates in the 3rd Congressional District race are Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle, former state Rep. Brett Geymann, Lafayette Parish School Board member Erick Knezek, Gus Rantz, Grover Rees, Bryan Barrilleaux and Clay Higgins.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The election will be Nov. 8.</span>

<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">—</span>

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