Col. Rob Maness, the long-shot conservative candidate eyeing Sen. Mary Landrieu’s (D-LA) Senate seat, is calling for Landrieu to pay back the taxpayers after it was reported that she cost taxpayers $47,000 for her taxpayer-funded private flights.

“Working families nationwide believe Washington politicians are completely out-of-touch with reality, it’s this kind of conduct that reinforces that image,” said Maness, who has driven his Ford F-150 while visiting all 64 Louisiana parishes. “Senator Landrieu prefers to use a taxpayer-funded charter plane to get from New Orleans to Lake Charles.”

“For what it’s worth, a full tank of gas in my truck costs about $91 and gets me 484 miles – more than enough to drive from New Orleans to Lake Charles,” said Maness. “Senator Landrieu should do the right thing and refund taxpayers for her excessive use of taxpayer-funded charter planes.”

The USA Today report is solely based on taxpayer-funded private planes, also known as charter flights, that the Senators enjoyed while traveling in their home state, not around the country.

In one instance, Landrieu flew on a taxpayer-funded private plane in order to get a round-trip from New Orleans to Lake Charles.