vidalia — Elected leaders from across Concordia Parish and the surrounding area delivered a unified message Wednesday afternoon — they support U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu.

The Democratic senator who represents Louisiana stopped in Vidalia as part of her “Louisiana First Tour” making a final push to remind voters to vote in a runoff election Saturday against her Republican challenger, Rep. Bill Cassidy.

Statewide, Landrieu gained 619,379 votes, or 42.08 percent, in the general election in November while Cassidy totaled 603,032 votes, or 40.97 percent.

Landrieu won Concordia Parish with a total of 2,783 votes compared to Cassidy’s 2,699 votes.

After an introduction from Vidalia Mayor Hyram Copeland who thanked Landrieu for bringing millions of dollars to the city, the senator said rural Louisiana communities are important.

“This may be a small town, but it’s an important place,” Landrieu said. “I’m in this area a great deal.”

Copeland and other local elected officials joined Landrieu at two other stops Wednesday in New Roads and Monroe.

Traveling with Landrieu and sharing the projects she’s helped bring to Vidalia is vital for residents across the state to understand, Copeland said.

“She’s been an integral part of every project we’ve had in the last few years, and she’s always been there ready and willing to help us with whatever we need,” Copeland said. “The rest of the state needs to hear and see what she has done for Vidalia and can continue to do for them.”

During a press conference at the Vidalia Conference and Convention Center, Copeland discussed the $1.2 million Landrieu helped secure to build the Vidalia Technology Center.

The building, which will be located at the former city hall site, will serve as a space for start-up and emerging businesses and provide broadband infrastructure to improve connectivity for existing local businesses and industry.

Copeland also cited the nearly $1.5 million in funding Landrieu helped secure for the Vidalia Port.

The slack water port facility, Copeland said, is another valuable economic development project for the City of Vidalia.

“I could keep going on and on and on,” Copeland said. “We go to (Washington) D.C., four to five times a year, and this senator has never not met with us.

“She’s been there, listened to us and helped us each and every time.”

Copeland said he would be taking the rest of the week to join Landrieu on her final push for votes.

“There are as many votes in one city block in New Orleans as there are in the entire City of Vidalia, but she has chosen to come here all those times,” he said.

“With her opponent, it is a one issue campaign — Obama — and I ask the people to look at the records between the two candidates.”

Before concluding her speech, Landrieu reminded those in attendance to keep in mind the projects she’s helped bring to Concordia Parish and compare those to what her opponent, Cassidy, has done for the area. Cassidy’s current congressional district does not include Concordia Parish.

“You have some that just show up to cut the ribbon, but they won’t show up to do the heavy lifting,” Landrieu said. “My loyalty has been to the people of this state.”

Polls open in Concordia Parish at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

On the Concordia Parish ballot will be races for U.S. Senate between Cassidy and Landrieu and the Fifth Congressional District Seat between Republican Ralph Abraham and Democrat Jamie Mayo.