As Representative Joel Robideaux finishes his final term in District 45, there are three announced candidates who want to represent the people of that area - Andre Comeaux, Jean-Paul Coussan and Jan Swift, who formally announced her candidacy Tuesday night.

"I can't express how grateful I am for everyone who's helping me," Swift told KPEL's Bernadette Lee and Brandon Comeaux on The Morning Show. "Here in Lafayette, we have a community that has proven that vision, courage and sound management can and do make a real difference."

Swift has served as Executive Director of Upper Lafayette Economic Development Foundation since 2008. She's also an attorney who has served Lafayette as an Assistant City Attorney and is a former Louisiana Deputy Secretary of State. Among Swift's other areas of service are those as Past Chair of the Lafayette Parish Industrial Development Board, Executive Committee of the Chamber of Commerce, I-49 Task Force, Paul & Lulu Hilliard Art Museum at UL, as well as serving on the Board of Trustees for the Academy of the Sacred Heart.

So, what motivates her to run for the District 45 seat?

"I look back at all the things I enjoy doing and it always involved working with other people, building coalitions," says Swift. "And the coalitions we've built to raise the awareness of the beauty of all parts of our parish is something I take great pride in because I want to see one Lafayette...I believe there's a voice out there that's untapped. People want to have their voice heard. And I want to listen to them and carry the message to the Capitol."

Also running for the District 45 seat is Jean-Paul Coussan and Andre Comeaux.

More From 97.3 The Dawg