While Sen. David Vitter, R-La., began his speech Thursday on federal topics, he quickly changed his talk to state issues as he revs up his campaign for governor.

“This part of the state in particular is the leader in terms of the economic boom and economic opportunity the whole state can enjoy in the next few years,” Vitter told business leaders at the Southwest Louisiana Entrepreneurial and Economic Development Center.

“My main goal in everything I do — both my day job now and the job I’m aspiring to — is to lead all of us and work together,” said Vitter, who officially announced in June he would run for governor.

“Louisiana has had booms before and had great growth before, but those have been followed by busts. I don’t want to be prosperous by accident once more. I want all of us to be great by choice.”

He said greatness will spawn if the state’s priorities are in education, infrastructure and workforce development. He advocated for career path diplomas for high school students. He said college should be “available for everyone, but college is not for everyone.”

Vitter also said the Environmental Protection Agency is “in overdrive with many different examples of overregulation.”

“That poses real threats to the country but in particular the Southwest Louisiana economy,” he said. “In almost all of these cases the EPA has gone beyond its legal authority.”DAVID VITTER

(MGNonline)