I have had a devil of a time trying to figure out why it is that many people in this state vote against their interests.

But I should know. I used to be one of them.

The first time I ever voted, I voted Republican. I was even a delegate to the Louisiana Republican Convention in 2012.

But the more I learned, the further left I leaned until eventually I felt it necessary to change my party affiliation.

I could no longer morally justify being a Republican in a state where its Republican governor has tremendously cut higher education.

I couldn’t be a Republican in a state where its legislature can’t stomach taking its unconstitutional sodomy laws off the books.

I couldn’t be a Republican in a state that refused, and is still refusing, money for Medicaid expansion and is keeping healthcare away from nearly a quarter of a million people because of it.

I just couldn’t be a Republican.

And so today I find myself scratching my head at people who still haven’t figured it out.

How is it that in one of the poorest regions of the country, we have a Republican super majority in the legislature?

How is it that the way we find ourselves debating which version of the Bible we want to make our state book, but relatively little is said about how we’re going to feed the hungry and shelter the homeless in our communities?

And now as the Red Scare continues to sweep across this state, we are faced with another decision.

We can either vote for the Obama loving, gun taking, immigrant amnesty giving Democrat. Or we can vote for another Republican.

To the many in this state who have seen the Koch brothers’ and Bill Cassidy’s ads, the above sounds consistent with what they’ve heard about Mary Landrieu.

But it isn’t consistent with reality.

Landrieu has voted in the Senate time and time again to promote the interests of this state and its citizens. Louisiana is lucky to have her.

A conservative Democrat who chairs the energy committee is the kind of person we want in a state that depends heavily upon the oil and gas industry.

She’s voted over and over to affirm our second amendment rights.

In fact, the only time Landrieu has ever voted “against” guns is when she voted to better the background checking process before buying a firearm.

That isn’t that outrageous when you consider how incredibly easy it is to buy a gun in this state.

It only takes about 30 minutes to walk out of a store with a new gun.

And she is currently fighting to lower student loan interest rates and expand pell grants so college can be somewhat more affordable in this state.

And the immigration thing is just absolute garbage.

What Cassidy isn’t telling you is that he voted for the same bill he’s chiding Landrieu for. But far be it from me to remind a politician of reality.

So these are our options: a senator whom we know will continue to vote for the people of this state, a congressman whom we know serves a different master and the tea party guy.

Not since David Duke and Bennett Johnston has there been a Senate race in this state when choice couldn’t be any clearer.

Then again, a lot of people voted for Duke.

And so I’m asking you to at least consider your interests and vote for the candidate who has always kept those interests close to her heart.