JEFFERSON, LA — A worker at Southport Hall held the door open with one hand for people and clicked a counter with his other hand as each one stepped inside the building.  By the time Jefferson Parish Councilwoman Cynthia Lee-Sheng took the stage, the crowd nearly spilled out of the door.

“I will be fair, and I will lead with integrity,” Lee-Sheng said, bringing a loud cheer from her supporters.

Last month, Lee-Sheng released a statement saying she would seek parish president’s seat.  Tonight was the big to-do with a band, crowd, and campaign signs.

Lee-Sheng touted her experience as an officer with the U. S. Department of Justice Immigration and Naturalization Service as well as her time as a CPA specializing in fraud prevention.  She has served as the District 5 council member and currently holds a seat as Council at Large.

Lee-Sheng is the daughter of the late Jefferson Parish Sheriff Harry Lee who served the parish for three decades.  In her bid for parish president, she’ll face former parish president John Young.  Current parish president Mike Yenni has yet to make an official statement on whether he’ll seek reelection, but Yenni did add a campaign sign to his Facebook profile page.