Mayoral candidates take part in debate one week before early voting

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - Sean Ardoin, Jesse Bernard, Mayor Nic Hunter, and Joshua Lewis all were given two minutes to answer posed questions by moderators and business leaders at the debate Sunday night.

Held by the Cary Chavis Agency, “The Great Debate” touched on topics ranging from the issues of the hurricanes and North Lake Charles to their solutions to bridges on the freeze.

“Salt to salt the bridges,” explained Sean Ardoin. “We get the trucks out there to do it. We schedule it and we just stay and be ready. If you get ready, you never have to stay ready.”

Bernard pulled from his experience at DOTD.

“When it reaches a certain temperature they put a deicing chemical on the bridge to keep it from freezing. So those are some things that we can implement.”

Mayor Hunter says there are questions left to be answered.

“Now we’re going to commission a full study and analysis of what occurred. When has humanity not gotten better.”

Joshua Lewis called on the spirit of the Cajun community when communicating his solution.

“On 171, the Gerstner Memorial, Hwy 14, whatever we used on that bridge. Just carry it over, because clearly, it worked for that bridge.”

Each candidate was also posed individual questions.

From recent topics like the St. Louis Catholic High School, which Mayor Hunter is an alum of, to Ardoin’s Grammy nominations translating to the city, to Lewis’ ideas on youth programs, and Bernard’s plans to diversify the police force, each candidate was also posed individual questions which other candidates could rebuttal.

Hosted at the Sound Worship Center, the entire debate was streamed on Facebook by the organizer.

To view it, click HERE.

Early voting, which will include the Lake Charles mayoral race on the ballot for Lake Charles residents, begins Saturday, March 5.

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