On Aug. 17, Sarah Holliday announced her candidacy for the District 2 seat on the Public Service Commission. The incumbent District 2 Commissioner, Jimmy Field, is retiring.

On her candidacy, Holliday stated: “If Louisiana’s economy is to continue to grow and new and better jobs to be created, it is critical that we have stable and low cost energy. I am running for Public Service Commissioner because I want to ensure that customers in District 2, as well as in the rural areas, are provided with safe, reliable and adequate utilities that are reasonable. At the same time, I recognize the utility providers should earn a fair rate of return on their investment.”

Balancing the values of stakeholders is crucial during this phase of Louisiana’s development.

“As a member of the Public Service Commission, I will fight to protect Louisiana energy from overburdening federal regulations and work to ensure low cost energy for all of Louisiana, making our economy stronger and new and better jobs available,” said Holliday. “I am a dedicated public servant, and my background attests to that commitment.”

Holliday is currently Vice-President of Louisiana’s Federation of Republican Women in Region Six, which serves East Baton Rouge, Ascension, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, Iberville, West Baton Rouge, St. Landry and Evangeline Parishes. She also serves as president of the Capital City Republican Women in Baton Rouge. In order to dedicate proper time and focus to the Public Service Commissioner’s Race, Holliday has taken a temporary leave of absence from both organizations.

“As an advocate of the people before the Public Service Commission, my focus must be diligent and remain undistracted. The impact of high energy bills on Louisiana’s families and businesses will be the critical issue in this race. The budget of every household and the bottom line of every business are directly impacted by each decision, good or bad, made by the Public Service Commission. Protecting Louisiana’s taxpayers must remain my forethought,” said Holliday. “I pledge to work with homeowners, business owners, chambers of commerce, associations, community groups, business advocacy groups and others committed to working with regulatory agencies to identify clean, low-cost and efficient energy solutions. I know I will bring new energy and ideas to improve issues in our district.”

The District 2 seat on the Public Service Commission includes St. Martin, St. Mary, East Feliciana, West Feliciana, Lafayette, Lafourche and Terrebonne Parishes, as well as parts of East Baton Rouge, Iberia, Iberville, Livingston and West Baton Rouge parishes. Through her work with the LFRW, Holliday is already deeply engrossed in the issues she will be addressing on behalf of District 2, including the need for greater transparency and public accountability and the economic benefits of regulations that promote energy efficiency for consumers.

“This is important because PSC decisions can impact the lives of everyone in the state,” states Holliday, “I will advocate that the Commission continues to take an active and cautious role in development of a competitive, market-based approach to utility regulation whenever such an approach is in the public interest.”

Holliday’s fervor for District 2 is not just political but personal. As a native of Blairstown in East Feliciana Parish, she has been a resident of Baton Rouge since 1978. She is a compassionate promoter of those who often have no voice in the Baton Rouge Metro Area - including those with mental disabilities. The same ambitions which served Holliday as a 16-year-old graduate of Glen Oaks High School, are the same ambitions which eventually led her to make history as she chartered the Capital City Republican Women on June 17, 2010.

Upon her graduation from Louisiana State University in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, Holliday pursued further education by completing a Master’s Degree in Counseling Education from Southern University in 1987. Her collegiate years provided numerous opportunities to fuel her commitment to service as demonstrated by her membership in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, a public service organization committed to alleviating hardship in underserved communities.

Additional service commitments include: The Junior League of Baton Rouge, League of Women Voters, Louisiana Association of Parliamentarians, Baton Rouge Paralegal Association, National Association of Legal Assistants, Louisiana Association of Drug Court Professionals and the alumni associations of Louisiana State and Southern Universities.

Whether receiving the Woman of the Year Award from the National Center for Urban Family Development (May 2005) or serving on the Boards of Family Roads of Greater Baton Rouge and the Battered Women’s Shelter, Holliday has remained committed to her first calling - that of being a wife and mother.

Holliday married the love of her life, Larry Arteal James, Jr., on August 28, 2004, and is mother to son, Jeremy, and stepdaughter, Brianna. She is a former member of Catholic High School’s Mothers’ Club. She is currently the Judicial Assistant to the Honorable Trudy M. White, 19th Judicial District Court.

As a Master Level Counselor for Louisiana Spirit, a program to help hurricane survivors, Holliday further extended her legacy of service. In 2011, she was appointed Commissioner to the Planning and Zoning Board by the Baton Rouge Metro Council. Throughout her many years of dedicated public service, Holliday has received many nominations and recognitions.

Whether exercising her civic responsibilities as a grassroots campaign volunteer or acting as a watch-guard over elected officials, Holliday is propelled by the firmly entrenched belief that her acts of leadership and service are actually a ministry of integrity and stewardship: “Working with people is my calling, and you should do well even when there’s nobody watching.”