Cloonan said, “I am proud to fully support Laurinda Calongne because she is thecandidate I believe will best represent Louisiana in Congress.”

Cloonan, an Iraq war veteran and resident of Slaughter, said that he and his supportersmost closely identify with Calongne.

“Laurinda is the reform candidate who will fight to end the culture of corruption inLouisiana and work hard for the people of the 6th Congressional District,” he added.

“I am honored by Michael’s support,” said Calongne. “He has served our country welland I am proud to be the candidate who he believes in.”

Cloonan joins former candidate Paul Sawyer, Baton Rouge Business Report PublisherRolfe McCollister, Livingston Parish Assessor Jeff Taylor, State Representatives JohnLaBruzzo (R-Metairie) and Kirk Talbot (R-River Ridge), and numerous LivingstonParish officials in endorsing Calongne.

Sawyer, who was a candidate in the Republican primary, received 23% of the vote. “While working for the Sixth District in Washington, I had the honor to work with Laurinda Calongne on a number of initiatives. She is a results-oriented, focused professional who has the most congressional experience of any candidate,” Sawyer said.

“I support Laurinda Calongne because she is the best candidate in the runoff election. Laurinda is a strong pro-family, pro-life conservative who will bring our values to Capitol Hill,” said Sawyer.

“Laurinda will be a champion for reform and tax relief for small businesses and working families. She will work to build coalitions which will certainly help our district. Weneed Laurinda Calongne in Washington to work for us. I give her my full endorsement and ask my supporters to join me in voting for Laurinda Calongne in the runoff election on April 5th,” said Sawyer.

Calongne is honored by the endorsement. “Paul was a wonderful asset to our state as a staffer for Congressman Richard Baker. He was a great candidate and is a devoted family man,” she said, “and I am proud to have him on my team.”

Sawyer’s endorsement adds to the list of business leaders and elected officials that have endorsed Laurinda Calongne’s campaign. Paul Sawyer joins Baton Rouge Business Report Publisher Rolfe McCollister, Livingston Parish Assessor Jeff Taylor, State Representatives John LaBruzzo (R-Metairie) and Kirk Talbot (R-River Ridge), Livingston Parish Council member Thomas Watson, Denham Springs City Council members Lori Lamm-Williams and Jerry Denton, and Walker Aldermen Gary Griffin and Rick Ramsey.

“I believe Laurinda represents the change and the vision that I have for this state and my area,” said Thomas Watson, a Republican who represents District 7 of the Livingston Parish Council. “I would be very proud to be represented by Laurinda in Congress.”

“Laurinda is a positive voice for reform,” said Lori Lamm-Williams, a Republican on the Denham Springs City Council. “Sending Laurinda Calongne to Washington DC will continue the direction of change our state is going with the election of a new governor and new legislators.”

Jerry Denton, also a Republican on the Denham Springs City Council, said that Calongne is the kind of candidate that he is proud to support. “I’m going to tell everyone I know that Laurinda is my candidate and that she has my full support.”

He added, “It’s nice to finally have a candidate that I can be proud of.”

Gary Griffin, a Republican Alderman of Walker, echoed this sentiment. “I know Laurinda, and I am confident that she has the federal experience and the reputation among the Louisiana delegation to get the job done,” he said.

Calongne stated, “I am so grateful for the support that I have received out of Livingston Parish,” she said. “I can’t wait to start working hard for the people of Livingston Parish and the entire 6th Congressional District.”

Watson, Lamm-Williams, Denton and Griffin join Rolfe McCollister of the Baton Rouge Business Report, Livingston Parish Assessor Jeff Taylor, State Representative John LaBruzzo (R-Metairie) and State Representative Kirk Talbot (R-River Ridge) in endorsing Laurinda Calongne for the Louisiana 6th Congressional District.

###

“Laurinda Calongne is about change—and I like that. It’s one of the reasons I supported Bobby Jindal in the gubernatorial race,” said McCollister. “I believe Laurinda Calongne is the best candidate in the Republican primary.”

“I am honored to receive the endorsement of such a respected member of the Baton Rouge business community. As our economy struggles it is important to me that we work hard for better jobs and lower taxes for our businesses and our families,” Laurinda said.

Rolfe McCollister of the Baton Rouge Business Report joins Livingston Parish Assessor Jeff Taylor, State Representative John LaBruzzo (R-Metairie) and State Representative Kirk Talbot (R-River Ridge) in endorsing Laurinda Calongne for the Louisiana 6th Congressional District.

###

Calongne, a Republican candidate for Louisiana’s 6th Congressional district, is in a heated run-off election against Woody Jenkins.

The ad illustrates Calongne’s commitment to lowering taxes and strengthening our economy, as well as protecting residents of the 6th Congressional district from liberal tax and spend policies from the likes of Hillary Clinton or any liberal who might make it to the White House.

You can view the ad at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p66KCoVJSK8. A 60-second version of the ad will air in the Baton Rouge media market later this week.

Ad Script:

Voiceover: It’s three a.m. and your children are safe, but the phone at the White House is ringing… and ringing… and ringing. And if, God forbid, a big-spending, amnesty-loving, big-taxing liberal like HillaryClinton gets to the White House, you can count on it continuing to ring.
Hillary Clinton: Hello, Hillary Clinton. Laurinda Calongne: Hillary, this is Laurinda Calongne. What the heck are you doing trying to raise taxes on my constituents?
HC: Do you know what time it is? LC: I know exactly what time it is. It’s time you guys stop running up the deficit with wasteful spending and putting it on the backs of our children. Don’t you know that each of our kids already owes $30,000 for their share of the national debt?

Sound: Click.

LC: Hello? Hello? Well, that’s why we created automatic redial.

VO: Louisiana conservative Laurinda Calongne. With her fighting for us in Congress, we can all sleep a little better. Well… almost all of us.

Sound: Phone ringing.

Bill Clinton: Hillary, I told you to change that number. Laurinda Calongne’s never going to let us get anysleep.

LC: I’m Laurinda Calongne and I approve this message.

Talbot said, “We cannot afford to give up this Congressional seat to liberal democrats after all the progress we have made in Louisiana. Laurinda Calongne is a fresh face with new ideas and someone we know can win the general election.”

“Laurinda has the common sense conservative values that the people of Louisiana want in a Congressperson,” said LaBruzzo. “It is increasingly clear that the National Democrats are gearing up to do and spend whatever it takes to take this house seat and Laurinda Calongne is right candidate to win the general election.”

“As a Party, we have a choice; we can either elect a liberal Democrat or pick the right Republican and win,” added LaBruzzo.

Calongne responded, “It speaks to the tremendous amount of excitement and momentum in our campaign that leaders like Representatives LaBruzzo and Talbot have joined our cause to keep common sense conservative representation in Congress. We are thrilled by last Saturday’s upset win, and we are thrilled that our campaign continues to grow as both elected officials and ordinary citizens realize that we are the only true conservative campaign that can win this election.”

###

“Along with the election of our new governor and new legislature, Saturday’s results clearly confirmedthat people are looking for a new voice and new ideas to represent them,” she said. “I am lookingforward to running a positive campaign focused on the future of our state and on which candidate is in abetter position to keep this seat out of the hands of liberal democrats,” she added.

Calongne’s campaign will continue to focus on fighting illegal immigration, making English the nation’sofficial language, and lowering taxes on Louisiana businesses and families which will create jobs andimprove our economy.

Calongne lives in Baton Rouge with her husband, Dan and daughter Emilie. The primary run-off is April 5,2008.

###

(Baton Rouge) Laurinda Calongne, Republican candidate for Louisiana’s 6th Congressional District, received a key endorsement by Livingston Parish Tax Assessor Jeff Taylor.

Taylor, a Republican, was reelected as Livingston Parish’s Tax Assessor last October with 70% of the vote.

“I am extremely impressed with Laurinda Calongne’s knowledge of the issues, work ethic and her passion to serve. But most of all I am supporting Laurinda Calongne because she will go to Washington to protect our conservative Louisiana values,” said Taylor.

Calongne is honored to have Taylor’s support. “I take tremendous pride in Jeff’s endorsement,” she said. “I look forward to the opportunity to represent the people of Livingston Parish as well as Jeff has as their Assessor.”

The primary election for Louisiana’s 6th Congressional District will be held Saturday, March 8th.

Calongne released two commercials that will run simultaneously on cable and network stations. Commercials will run until the Republican primary on March 8, 2008.

The first commercial, “I Believe,” addresses several of Calongne’s issue positions ontopics such as immigration and family values.

Transcript:

What do I believe?
I believe in God, and the right to say that in public.
I believe life begins at conception, and every life is worth fighting for.
I believe before someone can become one of our citizens they should first be able to read
and speak our language.
And as someone who grew a small business and had to balance a budget every day,
I believe it’s time to send someone to Congress to show them just how it’s done.
I’m Laurinda Calongne and I approve this message.

Calongne’s second commercial, “Follow the Rules,” lays out her plan to fight illegal immigration.

Transcript:

What would I do to stop the illegal immigration problem?
First, I’d secure our borders. Today, they’re leaking like a sieve.
Second, enforce the laws we already have…no cutting to the front of the line…no amnesty.
And any illegal who commits a crime…they’re out of this country…forever!

And before you can become a citizen, you have to learn to read, write, and speak our language.
Our country…our rules.
I’m Laurinda Calongne, and I approve this message.

Commercials can be viewed on the website at http://calongneforcongress.com/newsroom/

“High taxes are hurting our families and businesses, and I will always support any effort to give hard working families their money back,” said Calongne. “I hope every candidate in the race will join me in signing this pledge.”

The Pledge, sponsored by Americans for Tax Reform, specifies that Calongne will “oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rates for individuals and/or businesses” and “oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates.”

Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform, said, “By signing the Pledge, Ms. Calongne demonstrates her allegiance to hard-working taxpayers nationwide, as well as dedication to taxpayers in Louisiana. I applaud her for her leadership and dedication to the ideals of limited government.”

For more information, please see Americans for Tax Reform’s press release at http://www.atr.org/content/html/2008/jan/012808pr-calongne_pledge.html.

###