I voted early this week, for Foster Campbell. I canvassed for him last Saturday, until I couldn’t walk — literally. I had a staffer meet me in the campaign parking lot to pick up the paperwork (because I just don’t get this smart phone stuff), then had Crashing Vor meet me at the car with crutches when I got home. It was more than because Foster Campbell is in the last Senate run-off where we may pick up one more seat. Foster Campbell is a good man.
We had 24 candidates running for Senate here in Louisiana, among them David Duke (who picked up 3.4% of the primary votes). Only two were Democrats, a woman and Foster Campbell. Of all of the candidates — all 24 — only Foster Campbell stated global warming is real. I have a neighbor who is involved in environmental work. When I was looking at the two candidates, she told me Foster Campbell’s interest in the environment started in the 70’s and continued growing. As Public Service Commissioner, Campbell pushed for solar credits and other alternative energy sources, as cited in the Louisiana Sierra Club’s endorsement for him.
Tuesday before Thanksgiving I attended a fund raiser for Campbell. There, I learned something new about him. Campbell is from the northern part of Louisiana. New Orleans is not his usual stomping ground. We in this city have a large population of homeless, a greater percentage than many other cities, at 4%. Campbell said he’d spent the morning handing out turkeys. He looked a bit stunned. He spoke about one of his sons who had been mentally ill. He didn’t go into great detail about his son, except to say he was smart, smarter than another son who is a neurosurgeon. Campbell paused, then said we needed to solve homelessness, but it would take time and a lot of effort. Though he couldn’t stop it immediately, Campbell pledged that if he won he would make sure every person outside had a sleeping bag because people should at least be warm while they sleep.
Campbell Foster looks like a good old boy. I’ve known the type all my life. One, a friend’s brother, was the epitome of one. He also took on pro bono cases, getting people off death row and helping establish a women’s shelter. As of a couple of days ago, Foster’s opponent is ahead by 14 points. Today is the last day of early voting. December 10th is the final vote. Campbell needs people knocking on doors — of known Democrats, calling known Democrats, getting the vote out. Call your friends, the ones in Louisiana, any who may know someone here and get them voting! Foster Campbell is a long shot, but we should all be about fighting now, scrambling after every vote. Each one does matter, this time.
