July Newsletter

Published on July 16, 2019

Campaign thoughts and highlights from Michael

Summertime. Our thoughts quickly turn to breaking our school routines and enjoying well-spent time with our children. It also involves quickly adjusting to heat and weather only a true Southerner can refer to as “normal.”

Like May, June went by quickly with a flurry of activity that kept us busy with speaking engagements, campaign planning and working hard to meet and speak to as many people as possible in Morehouse and Ouachita parishes. I am always impressed with the level of interest I hear from our citizens as I travel around northeast Louisiana. I don’t go too many days at a time without hearing concerns about how well our part of the state is fairing in Baton Rouge when it comes to both perception and attention. In June, I spent much of my time listening to and learning about
healthcare, education, and the importance of loving our community.

I’m including some highlight videos and photos below that recap the month, and also provide some
interesting insights from people like you, who are focused on solving problems and finding new and
innovative ways to help our communities thrive. As always, thank you so much for your support!

Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM)

New Medical College On Course to Improve Healthcare in our Region

One of the most exciting developments for our area is taking place along the bayou on the ULM campus. Please watch this discussion with Dr. Ray Morrison, who is the Dean of the new medical school that is under
construction at ULM.

Bastrop’s Juneteenth Celebration Unites Citizens with History and Culture

Food, fun, and fellowship were all part of Bastrop’s Juneteenth celebration in Dotson Park. We had a great time visiting with many of those in attendance.

Patriots in the Park Welcomes Those We Honor for Their Service

The American Legion Home in Forsythe Park provided the perfect backdrop to honor dozens of our local veterans for the Patriots in the Park Celebration.

I was honored to join other elected officials to speak to the crowd and reflect on my family’s history of service to our country. Thanks to the Ouachita Parish Republican Women’s Club for sponsoring this annual great event.

YourVote App Gives Voters Direct Line to Elected Officials

Like almost every other field, technology is steadily transforming our political world when it comes to communication and opinion. Today’s voters want to easily express their opinions to elected officials, and elected officials normally want to hear straight from their constituents on key issues.

A new smartphone app developed by Louisiana Tech graduate, Jay Harrison, will now put government within easy reach of the public and create real-time feedback for elected officials. The YourVote app allows users to respond directly to candidates and provide direct feedback immediately. Candidates submit questions through the app to users in their district, and users then respond with their thoughts on specific issues and legislation.

According to YourVote, the app is designed to protect the privacy and data of voters, so candidates will not know the specific responses of any individual. All responses are aggregated into numerical totals and the elected official gains a better understanding of which issues are most important to their constituents.

Michael Echols also wants to be as innovative as possible in keeping the public consistently informed and to bring greater transparency to the government process. “Within the past few months, I’ve covered a lot of miles and met with literally hundreds of people from all walks of life. However, the reality is that District 14 is a big district, and despite my constant outreach activity, I know I cannot reach as many people as I would like,” Echols said. “I see our use of this app as the next best thing to a direct conversation between me and the public.”

The app is available through your traditional app store location. Links to the YourVote app are provided below.

Apple | Android

Special Announcement:

LABI Endorses Echols for State Representative

Baton Rouge, La. – NORTHPAC, a political action committee of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI), announced their endorsement of Michael Echols for State Representative, House District 14.

“Since its formation more than 25 years ago, NORTHPAC has helped to elect state and local candidates who support job growth policies and economic development in Louisiana,” said NORTHPAC Chairman Terry Baugh. “We believe that Michael Echols is the best candidate to lead district 14.”

“We encourage the business community to support Michael in his election this fall,” said Bo Staples, Executive Director of NORTHPAC. “This is a critical election cycle for Louisiana, and the business community must support candidates who will work to better the business climate in the state. Michael Echols has a proven commitment to pro-growth policies, and we’re excited to support his candidacy.”

Meetings and Campaign Stops

Love Your Community

John Rea Realty and Delta Community College hosted an increasingly popular breakfast meeting. Advocates for our area meet regularly and are making progress finding innovative ways to promote Northeast Louisiana.

Lions Club of Bastrop

We thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated our time with this group. We should never take for granted the great work and projects undertaken by our local civic groups.

Market Leaders

I was pleased to join several other local entrepreneurs on June 22 in West Monroe to have a fast-paced exchange of ideas with other local businessmen and women. It was a great event, and we need more discussions like this. Thank you, Buster Craig.

Morehouse Parish Police Jury

I appreciate the opportunity to speak and discuss new ideas at the MPPJ June meeting. There is great potential in my home parish with the right assistance from our Legislature and community teamwork, we can make positive changes.

Kiwanis:

Secretary of State Ardoin

Our area received a visit from Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin in June. Secretary Ardoin met with multiple groups while in the area and shared his thoughts on maintaining election integrity in our state. I had the pleasure of introducing him at the Kiwanis luncheon.

Yard Signs Now Available!

Help support Michael and get the word out about his campaign by placing a yard sign at your home or other property. To order a sign, please text your name and address to (318) 366-7370.

“My agenda in the Legislature will focus on the challenges and opportunities we face in our part of the state, and that will be my priority. I look forward to working closely and collaboratively with our delegation to achieve a better quality of life and further economic development in northeast Louisiana for all.”

To Contribute, Please Make Checks Payable to:

Michael Echols Campaign, 1800 Riverside Drive, Monroe, LA 71201

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