In what quickly became a day for announcing political campaigns, former NFL player Greg LaFleur officially announced today his campaign to become the next mayor of Baton Rouge.
LaFleur, the former LSU and NFL standout who later became Southern University’s athletic director, says in a statement that he wants to give back to the city that has been his home for nearly 40 years.
“I’ll be a Mayor-President for all the citizens of our Parish,” LaFleur says. “I’ll put forward a game plan so that East Baton Rouge Parish can reach its full potential.
“I’ll continue our progress in economic development,” he continued. “And I’ll tackle the challenges our community continues to face: reducing traffic, strengthening public safety and improving our public services across the parish.”
LaFleur says his campaign is in the nascent stages and he looks forward to sharing more specifics about his goals and dreams in the coming months.
LaFleur played football for LSU before a six-year career with the Philadelphia Eagles, St. Louis Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts. After his playing career ended, he jumped into athletic management, taking the reins as a marketing and promotions coordinator for the LSU Athletic Department.
He eventually rose to the rank of Southern’s athletic director before the school fired him immediately after an arrest on charges of solicitation of a prostitute in Houston in 2011. He was eventually acquitted of any wrongdoing and settled a wrongful termination lawsuit with the school for $150,000.
LaFleur is currently a business management consultant specializing in communications, market research and community outreach. He has previously served on several boards and councils, including the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness, Special Olympics and Habitat for Humanity.
LaFleur joins former state Sen. Sharon Weston Broome, Metro Councilman John Delgado, state Sen. Bodi White and former Metro Council member Byron Sharper in the crowded field.
—Ryan Broussard
