Most candidates at a Tuesday forum for Louisiana’s 6th Congressional District called for greater accountability for the petrochemical industry operating in Ascension Parish, though they differed on how to address its impacts, Louisiana Illuminator reports.
Republicans Monique Appeaning and Michael Mebruer opposed tax breaks for the international corporations that own the plants, with Appeaning arguing that federal carbon capture tax credits incentivize pollution. Democrats Lindsay “Rubia” Garcia and Pat Forbes called for stricter environmental regulations and better monitoring of cancer-causing emissions, while Libertarian Rufus Craig said residents should be able to sue companies for pollution-related illnesses.
The forum featured seven candidates. The two leading Republican contenders, state Sens. Rick Edmonds of Baton Rouge and Blake Miguez of New Iberia, were invited but did not attend. U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields, a Democrat, opted not to seek reelection after redistricting made the district more favorable to Republicans. Louisiana’s congressional primaries are scheduled for Nov. 3, with runoffs on Dec. 12 if necessary.
