Ponti jumps into race for vacant PSC seat

Baton Rouge Republican Rep. Erich Ponti announced this morning he’s running for the District 2 seat on the Public Service Commission that’s being vacated by Jimmy Field, who is retiring at the end of his fifth term on Dec. 31. Ponti, also a general contractor, says he sees the PSC as a place where his “conservative principles can serve ratepayers and help strengthen our economy.” Ponti says he has approximately $280,000 in ready cash for the race, close to $170,000 of which he has raised since early June. Many prominent Louisiana politicians—including former Govs. Huey Long, John McKeithen and Kathleen Blanco—have used the five-member, independent regulatory agency as a stepping-stone in their careers. Also announced as a candidate for the vacant PSC seat on the Nov. 6 ballot is Lafayette businessman Ed Roy. The recently redrawn District 2 covers the parishes of Lafayette, St. Mary, St. Martin, Terrebonne, Lafourche, East Feliciana, West Feliciana and Point Coupee as well as parts of Iberia, East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, Iberville and Livingston parishes. You can learn more about Ponti’s platform at his campaign’s website here.