Stacey Tinsley, Bossier Press-Tribune

[Editor’s Note: This is a continuing series profiling all candidates seeking political office in the Bossier Parish elections coming up this Fall.]

In the upcoming October 14, 2023 election, Bossier Parish residents in Louisiana Senate District 36 will vote on who they want to represent them as their state senator in Baton Rouge for the next four years. Louisiana State Senate District 36 is a large district which spans parts of Bossier, Webster, Claiborne and Bienville parishes.

In the race for State Senate District 36, voters will choose between Adam Bass (R-Bossier City) and incumbent Robert Mills (R-Bossier City).

Adam Bass:

Adam Bass is a Christian, conservative Republican. He is a lifelong Bossier resident. He is a graduate of Airline High School and Louisiana Tech University. He is a member of Cypress Baptist Church.

Adam is the husband of Britney Barrera Bass and father to three children. He is also a small business owner of over 20 years. He is a current member and past president of the Bossier Parish School Board. Additionally, he currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Military Affairs Council and is a member of the Bossier Chamber of Commerce. Bass is also a member and Past President of the Bossier City Rotary Club.

He is also a member of the NRA and a strong supporter of our law enforcement personnel. Bass is pro-life, pro- second amendment and pro-individual liberty.

Questions:

1.Why do you want to run for the political office you are seeking?


I have a servant’s heart and being a public servant is important to me. I have witnessed more and more families leaving Louisiana. Behind my faith, my family is the most important piece of my life. If we don’t make impactful changes in Louisiana that provide additional opportunities for our citizens, my fear is that I will have to visit my children and future grandchildren in other states where opportunities are far more abundant. As a lifelong resident of Senate District 36, I know the people and the needs of our district. I want to take this knowledge with me to Baton Rouge and work diligently to bring OUR dollars back to OUR district to address those needs.

2. If elected, please tell us what your priorities will be?


I want to support legislation that will keep violent criminals off our streets. I will also support legislation that will help improve the education system while keeping woke ideology out of classrooms. I will make sure that money is coming back to OUR district to fix OUR infrastructure! In my house and in my business we live within our budget. I don’t believe in supporting additional taxes on citizens just to turn around and spend more of citizen’s money by busting the budget. I will support legislation that will lower insurance rates and support tax reform that will support businesses and job growth opportunities. I am also in support of legislation that will promote election integrity.

3. There are several issues that are important to Bossier residents: transportation, economic development, infrastructure, etc. How will you go about ensuring that these issues of importance are addressed in your area and in Bossier Parish?


People don’t care what you know, if people don’t know that you care. I believe that knowing the will of the people and by consistently working with other local elected officials, we can move the needle and truly get things done! In the past, certain state elected officials have not stayed connected to their constituents and other local elected officials who were also elected by those same constituents. I will invest in these relationships and be present to know what the constituents of Bossier Parish need. I plan to be present and accessible, so that the constituents of District 36 can make their voices known and so I can appropriately represent them in Baton Rouge.


4. Why should someone vote for you?


I am dedicated, hard-working and passionate about doing what is best for the people of State Senate District 36. Bossier Parish has been my home for the entirety of my life and I will do everything I can to make sure that it is thriving! I want to be able to bring back the money that belongs in Bossier Parish because it often stays in Baton Rouge and South Louisiana. The people of my district need a return on their investment of their tax dollars. It’s time to make that a reality and I ask for your vote on October 14th.

Robert Mills:

Robert M. Mills is married to Sheila Allen Mills. The couple has four children between them and six grandchildren, so far. Mills graduated from Louisiana State University in 1976 and was operating oil wells in the Caddo Pine Island Field when he graduated from college. In addition to operating a small company, he served as a Landman, then Land Manager, for several independent exploration companies for 17 years.

In 1993, Mills joined Calumet Lubricants Company as Manager of Supply and Distribution at their Princeton, Louisiana crude oil refinery. He retired in 2018 as a corporate Vice President and Manager of Calumet Specialty Products Crude Oil and Natural Gas Supply, after 25 years of service. In 2019, Mills was elected to serve as Louisiana State Senator for District 36 for the 2020-2024 term.

Questions:

1.Why do you want to run for the political office you are seeking?

I am running for re-election to the office of State Senator of District 36 after serving my initial four-year term. It is critical that I use the seniority I have earned in my initial term to complete the many Conservative Republican-minded government reforms we started or attempted to start in that first term. I have a long list of projects including creating a more competitive tax system, expanding school choice and improving education outcomes, protecting existing jobs while creating new jobs, protecting our Louisiana values, improving access to affordable, reliable insurance, creating safe communities, creating a robust and talented workforce, protect the right to life and Louisiana families and push back against Federal and Executive overreach.

2. If elected, please tell us what your priorities will be?

My number one goal is to promote the safety and security of our homes, schools and workplaces. Number two is continuing my work to have affordable property, casualty and liability insurance for our citizens and businesses. Number three is to continue to support our local public school systems, private schools and the current Superintendent of Education in our efforts to improve educational outcomes while honoring, protecting and properly paying our teachers and support staffs.

3. There are several issues that are important to Bossier residents: transportation, economic development, infrastructure, etc. How will you go about ensuring that these issues of importance are addressed in your area and in Bossier Parish?

Transportation infrastructure is a critical need for all of us today and it must be continually maintained and updated. Additional transportation, water supply and sewage infrastructure is required as Bossier Parish grows and our cities and towns expand. I have worked closely with Parish Police Juries and my district’s towns and cities to coordinate capital outlay requests, monitor and promote the movement of projects in the capital outlay process. And, I have funded numerous projects across the district with my own annual supplemental expenditures.

4. Why should someone vote for you?

Vote to re-elect Robert Mills for State Senate, District 36. In my initial term, I did what I said I would do. I never missed a day of any legislative session nor a committee meeting. There is a written record of my fiscally conservative, Christian-minded legislation and voting record. I am endorsed by the Bossier Parish Republican Executive Committee, National Rifle Association, Louisiana Association of Business & Industry, National Federation of Independent Businesses, Louisiana Association of Manufacturers PAC, Louisiana Oil & Gas Association’s LOGPAC, Louisiana Loggers Association, Louisiana Home Builders’ PAC, Louisiana Realtors’ PAC, Independent Pharmacist PAC, Louisiana Motor Transport Association and others to come. I am endorsed by people and businesses across Louisiana, but I know I work for the constituents of District 36 and my vote on any issue in Baton Rouge is based on what my constituents think and want. I will continue to vote for you, so please vote for me.