EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated since its original publication to reflect that as reported by The Advocate, $13.4 million in federal housing grants have been wasted or gone unspent over the past decade by East Baton Rouge Parish Office of Community Development, not the East Baton Rouge Housing Authority (EBRPHA).
In what promises to be one of the hottest local races on the 2024 ballot, the leading Democratic candidates for East Baton Rouge mayor-president are splintering the region’s legislative delegation while testing the bonds of their own friendship, if such a thing even exists during an election cycle.
Moreover, the contest may become another Louisiana case study for how Republican voters can greatly influence outcomes in Democratic strongholds on the municipal level.
Ted James, a former state legislator aiming to become the next Red Stick CEO, says he doesn’t plan to sling mud in his race against incumbent Sharon Weston Broome. In fact, James says he met with Mayor Broome privately to let her know his plans.
“I don’t think I have to go negative,” James says. “I still consider the mayor a friend. I still consider her an ally.”
But Broome, who has built a political brand around Christian principles and pragmatic politics, says she finds James’ announcement “disheartening.” After all, James co-chaired her first campaign for mayor and she supported his aspirations in politics and with the U.S. Small Business Administration, where he worked as a regional administrator before leaving to run for mayor.
“As recently as two years ago, I was on his resume,” the mayor says. “Of course, this is America, and everybody can run for office.”
Broome is seeking her third and final term as EBR’s mayor-president. She also served on the Metro Council and was the first woman to be named both speaker pro tem and president pro tem at the state Capitol.
James could have bided his time and run for an open seat in four years, but says, “Baton Rouge can’t afford to wait another four years” for change. He plans to make public safety an issue, and argues that the administration has been ineffective at drawing down and utilizing federal dollars for housing.
He says the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s office reported theft by a former employee and noncompliance with federal rules at the EBR Housing Authority. Separately, Terry Jones, then a City Hall reporter with The Advocate, tallied some $13.4 million in wasted or unspent federal housing grants over the past decade by the East Baton Rouge Parish Office of Community Development.
On the crime front, Broome says the parish has seen a 34% reduction in gun violence during the past two years, though there has been a spike in the early portion of this year. She points to a 14% pay raise for police officers as part of her administration’s efforts to “tackle [crime] head on.”
Campaign money is the real eye-opener for insiders. For the first quarter of this year, James raised about $500,000, while Broome collected roughly $300,000. Broome’s campaign has highlighted donations to James from Republicans, including supporters of the St. George incorporation movement, to argue that James has abandoned his progressive values and Democratic voting record.
“It shows his allegiance is going to be with those donors who represent special interests that are interested in segregating our city and moving their agenda into City Hall,” Broome says.
James counters that he has three times as many donors who gave less than $100, suggesting grassroots support. He says he worked across the aisle as a legislator and isn’t surprised that some Republicans would want to contribute.
Broome certainly has high-profile backers. U.S. Rep. Troy Carter endorsed her last month, and Broome says Senate President Pro Tem Regina Barrow is her campaign co-chair. James’ campaign counts state Reps. Barbara Carpenter, Larry Selders and Vanessa Caston LaFleur among his legislative delegation supporters.
The big question in the race now, says consultant and pollster John Couvillon, is whether a viable Republican will enter. EBR is increasingly Democratic, he says, and he expects much of the Democratic base to back the incumbent. But if James can eat into that base, while also cornering the Republican vote, “it’s game over for Mayor Broome, because she’s certainly not going to get 95% of the Black vote against a fellow Black Democrat,” Couvillon says.
At least one Republican hoping to be that viable candidate is David Tatman, a lobbyist and former EBR school board president. While he has not made a public announcement, Tatman confirmed his intentions to LaPolitics and says he plans to make it official on July 4.
Tatman (or any Republican) may face a difficult road, says Eddie Rispone, the Baton Rouge businessman who ran for governor against former Gov. John Bel Edwards in 2019. Rispone donated to James’ campaign. Baton Rouge is a Democratic city, Rispone says, though he adds that the parish may become more Republican as Central, Zachary and St. George grow. In the meantime, Rispone believes James can appeal to Republican-leaning and independent voters.
Woody Jenkins, who chairs the EBR Republican Party, says the race is winnable for the GOP, noting that the parish’s sheriff, assessor, clerk of court and coroner are all Republicans, as are the majority of the school board and Metro Council. Jenkins is putting together a committee to identify a candidate who can motivate the base while also tapping into the Democratic vote. He says a strong Republican could not only make the runoff but run first in November.
Plus, in December, the electorate likely would be smaller and have a larger proportion of Republicans. “I don’t see it as a long shot, but a lot of people would,” Jenkins adds.
There will be a “plethora” of local offices on the ballot this year, adds Joel Watson with the Secretary of State’s office. The first round of those elections will also coincide with the presidential vote in November, which typically sees turnout of around 70%, Watson says. (Don’t forget: 2024 will feature a 10-day early voting period for the presidential election, which was part of the emergency election plan in 2020 and was made permanent by legislation passed in 2021.)
While EBR is the largest Louisiana jurisdiction with a mayoral race, quite a few cities with a population roughly between 8,000 and 16,000 in population will hold elections, says Barney Arceneaux, the new executive director of the Louisiana Municipal Association. That includes Arceneaux’s hometown of Gonzales, where he served four terms as mayor before stepping down to join the LMA this year.
Qualifying for the November ballot is July 17-19.
Jeremy Alford publishes LaPolitics Weekly, a newsletter on Louisiana politics, at LaPolitics.com. Follow him on Twitter, or Facebook. He can be reached at JJA@LaPolitics.com.
