Moore sweeps nearly all precincts, but misses by 25 votes

Pat Moore comes within 25 votes of an outright victory over three opponents in District 17 State Representative Race; on the trail again for the March run-off

Pat Moore didn’t waste a day after sweeping nearly all of the 27 precincts in the District 17 State Representative’s race Saturday. She finished first ahead of three opponents, but was just shy of what she needed to win outright; she polled 49% of all votes cast, 25 votes away from outright victory.

Out Distanced three Opponents

There were four candidates for the seat vacated when Marcus Hunter was elected judge and Moore swept nearly all of them; she won many precincts by as much as 70% or more on both sides of the river.

At Barkdull Faulk School she won by 67%. She carried the Prince Hall Lodge in King Oaks by 54% and Shady Grove School by 65%. She carried Robinson School by 55%.

In West Monroe, she received solid support. For example, she won The Riverbend Precinct by 65% and the Ouachita Alternative precinct in West Monroe by 73%. West Monroe City Hall 71%.

However, Saturday’s vote is history. The run-off is a month away and it all depends on turnout.

Prayers and Hard Work

Moore said she prayed Sunday morning and went to worship at the University Church of Christ. Her entire family was present, but she didn’t teach her Sunday School class as usual, the church had a substitute. However, the entire church had prayers for her success.

Since qualifying for State Representative, Moore, known as a perpetual fireball of energy, tripled her efforts to meet people, pray and ask for prayers. By 7:30 Sunday night, it all came down on her and she crashed, physically exhausted.

The fact that Moore carried all of the 27 precincts except one (she lost it by 1 vote) is typical for Moore who has spent two decades as a community organizer and friend.

“Never attack, she focused”

She never attacks people, but focuses on problems; that has been her style during her elective office. One problem she has focused on is crime. In her Police Jury District, she hopes to reduce violence by bringing people together.

“We have block parties every week in my district,” said Moore as her eyes widened and she flashed a smile explaining how she worked with neighbors on Ticheli Road and in Tanglewood to host weekly block parties to help bring about an atmosphere of brotherhood in the community.

She says the parties don’t stop violence, but it creates an atmosphere of family that reduces the likelihood of randomly shooting someone you know and consider a friend.

“I didn’t do this alone, there were many neighbors that saw me and joined in. We even had bible studies and worships in my home. There was only one subject: “The love of Jesus.”

Holds Quarterly Meetings

Whether it’s her weekly block parties, held in warm months or her quarterly district meetings, Moore stays in contact with her police jury constituents.

“We meet in Charmingdale and in other places every quarter,” said Moore as she stressed the importance of meeting people and hearing their concerns on a regular basis.

After the 2005 and 2016 flood, Moore worked to bring representatives of FEMA together with pastors to gain access to funds to prevent major flooding and to help Charmingdale residents fully recover.

While working on the FEMA project she directed her energies toward raising funds to maintain the African-American museum at the same time and raised thousands of dollars from sponsors to keep the museum afloat.

“We need to know each other and celebrate our accomplishments and join together in crises,” said Moore as she talked of the joy of reaching out to youth and adults on regular basis.

For ten years she set up a meeting place in the Parkview Apartments and worked with children and adults to solve problems and “show them the love of Jesus.”

A service mindset

“If you are going to work with people you must have a mindset that you are going to stick with it, come what may,” said Moore as talks of plans she has in place to get lighting in dark areas of the district and crosswalks across the 165 Highway.

“It hurt my heart to see people killed or injured trying to cross the highway,” said Moore. “I’ve been in contact with the State Department of Transportation for crosswalks,” said Moore, “But I’m just a single police juror,” she said.

To solve the drainage problems in Tanglewood and Charmingdale and other parts of her district she needed more clout, that’s when it became obvious that being a State Representative could help her gain access to purse strings that would help people impacted by floods and disasters.

“A Christian Lady”

Moore knows how to roll up her sleeves. When flood waters were rising, she organized groups of volunteers to fill sandbags for the elderly and deliver them. When she could not find volunteers she packed her own vehicle with bags and struggled through chest-deep water to deliver them.

“When people see me taking action, they join in and ask what can I do to help. I always ask myself, “What did Jesus do”? When the people had pain he reached out to them,” said Moore.

“It’s important for me to be a Christian lady,” said Moore explaining why she never responded to attacks made by one of her opponents who accused her of tearing down his signs on social media and called her out.

“There is too much work to be done. I believe God gave me a sign to run for this office when my husband was miraculously healed of cancer. I prayed and asked him to give me a sign. When we went into the doctor’s office expecting to hear a death notice but found out that the cancer had gone away, that was my sign,” said Moore.

As far as Moore is concerned, God would not give her a sign to run and abandon. She does not respond to attacks or negativity. In all of her years on the Police Jury she has never attacked fellow jurors or any other officials.

“I stay focused. That’s the way Jesus would want me to do it. I have to be a Christian at all times,” said Moore.