Vidalia — Two Louisiana candidates are vying for the state representative position for District 21, a district one candidate said is underrepresented.

The incumbent says his re-election will ensure current projects are followed through on and completed.

The candidates for District 21 state representative are the incumbent Andy Anders and The Rev. Justin L. Conner, both Democrats.

Justin Conner

Conner, a bishop at two local churches, said he is running because District 21 is underrepresented, and he is passionate about his constituency, the people he knew growing up.

“I want everyone in district 21 to have a part in the American dream,” Conner said. “Growing up, knowing individuals in the district, I want to see them have a brighter day.”

Conner said officials cannot have tunnel vision in representing District 21.

“We can’t get stuck in one spot and tell people we’re coming, we’ll be there,” he said. “I tell people in the district — it’s not that you’ve been forgotten — it’s that you’ve not been thought of.”

Conner said he believes the representative’s duty is to have a relationship with the district’s people, as well as maintaining a working relationship with others around the state to put together legislation.

“Money never gets to the poor people, the needy ones, the ones who we use as statistics to get money from Washington,” he said. “We never go in and do what we promised, and that won’t happen on my watch.”

Conner said politicians sometimes get “stagnant and lackadaisical” and forget about the masses.

“We need to go to bat for people who just can’t help themselves,” he said. “That’s one of the points I’m riding on. As a state representative, it’s not about black and white, it’s about people who need help.”

Andy Anders

Anders, 55, said he has served the past five years as the state representative for District 21 and would like to finish what he started.

Anders said one of the most important things he has done while in office was introducing the agricultural tourism bill.

“It’s was a big boost to the economy,” he said.

Sixty businesses have been created since the bill, Anders said, and he is working on several projects that he would like to see completed in his next term.

Anders chairs the House Committee on Agriculture. He said he wants to make sure money stays under the department of agriculture and is taken and used elsewhere.

The representative’s main job duty, Anders said, is answering to his constituents about problems that arise in the district. He said he and his staff work to return all phone calls to his office.

“My job is to answer the questions and lead the people to the right source to get the problem solved,” he said.

Anders says he is working diligently on improving economic development in his district by working on projects such as the proposed port in Vidalia.

Anders said he has always treated people the way he wanted to be treated in politics and in life.

“I’ve shown that I can work over party lines and racial lines and whatever other lines are drawn in the dirt,” he said.