| | On April 29, 2019, in a speech on the state Senate floor, the strongly pro-life Milkovich flatly declared that [[vaccination]]s are linked to [[autism]]. In a speech on the Senate floor, Milkovich recalled that “autism did not exist” when he was growing up in Montana: "Did you know tissue from aborted babies is now used in vaccines. Did you know that vaccines use [[aluminum]], which is shown to be a neurotoxin? Did you know vaccines in America [are] preserved often with [[mercury]], which is beyond neurotoxic?”<ref name=autism>{{cite web|url=https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/article_0c13f5ea-6ad7-11e9-876a-b3|title=Louisiana senator links vaccines, autism on Senate floor; officials say 'myth' causes measles resurgence|author=Sam Karlin|date=April 29, 2019|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|accessdate=April 30, 2019}}</ref> Dr. Joe Kanter, the assistant state health officer, disputed Milkovich's claim as "a myth." Kanter said that the issue of autism and vaccination has been “incredibly well studied”, and no correlation has been found.<ref name=autism/> | | On April 29, 2019, in a speech on the state Senate floor, the strongly pro-life Milkovich flatly declared that [[vaccination]]s are linked to [[autism]]. In a speech on the Senate floor, Milkovich recalled that “autism did not exist” when he was growing up in Montana: "Did you know tissue from aborted babies is now used in vaccines. Did you know that vaccines use [[aluminum]], which is shown to be a neurotoxin? Did you know vaccines in America [are] preserved often with [[mercury]], which is beyond neurotoxic?”<ref name=autism>{{cite web|url=https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/article_0c13f5ea-6ad7-11e9-876a-b3|title=Louisiana senator links vaccines, autism on Senate floor; officials say 'myth' causes measles resurgence|author=Sam Karlin|date=April 29, 2019|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|accessdate=April 30, 2019}}</ref> Dr. Joe Kanter, the assistant state health officer, disputed Milkovich's claim as "a myth." Kanter said that the issue of autism and vaccination has been “incredibly well studied”, and no correlation has been found.<ref name=autism/> |
| − | Despite Milkovich's stated conservative positions, statewide [[radio]] talk show host [[Moon Griffon]] is a critic of the lawmaker, whom he calls "Milquetoast" Milkovich."<ref>''[[Moon Griffon|The Moon Griffon Show]]'', May 30, 2019.</ref> Milkovich faces two opponents in the October 12 primary election, fellow Democrat Katrina Early, an African-American [[insurance]] agent, and a Republican candidate, Barry Milligan, a [[business]]man reared in Rayne in Acadia Parish, near [[Lafayette]]. Milligan has resided in Shreveport since he was twelve years of age. | + | Despite Milkovich's stated conservative positions, statewide [[radio]] talk show host [[Moon Griffon]] is a critic of the lawmaker, whom he calls "Milquetoast" Milkovich."<ref>''[[Moon Griffon|The Moon Griffon Show]]'', May 30, 2019.</ref> Milkovich faces two opponents in the October 12 primary election, fellow Democrat Katrina Early, an African-American [[insurance]] agent, and a Republican candidate, Barry Milligan (born August 12, 1970), a [[business]]man who was reared in Rayne in Acadia Parish, near [[Lafayette]], before his family moved to Shreveport in 1982. |