After two terms on the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, Chas Roemer announced today that he will not seek a third term. Roemer, a Baton Rouge resident and the son of former Gov. Buddy Roemer, says several factors led to his decision.
“My family and kids are my very top priority, and my kids are at an age—7th grade and in high school—that I think they need me around more, and my business is growing tremendously. Those are the two biggest reasons,” says Roemer, the board’s current president. “I also feel there is a strong slate of candidates that have announced who I think will keep moving the state forward.”
Roemer holds BESE’s District 6 seat, which represents Ascension, East Baton Rouge, Livingston, Tangipahoa and Washington parishes. He is owner of Roemer, Robinson, Melville and Co., an investment management company headquartered in Baton Rouge.
Though Roemer will not seek a third term on the BESE board, he isn’t ruling out a return to public office at some point in the future.
“I don’t sit around plotting a great plan to become elected to some office, but I’m also not a passive personality,” he says.
Two candidates have thus far qualified to run for Roemer’s seat: Kathy Edmonston, R-Gonzales, and Jason France, Libertarian-Baton Rouge.
Qualifying for the fall elections began on Tuesday and wraps up on Thursday. Among those qualifying today were Mayor Kip Holden, who is the lone Democrat to sign up to run for lieutenant governor so far. Republicans who have qualified for that race are Elbert Lee Guillory, Billy Nungesser and John Young.
The Associated Press reports Secretary of State Tom Schedler also signed up for his re-election bid today, describing his proposal to bring iPad voting to Louisiana if elected to another term in office.
Schedler’s office is where candidates for statewide positions submit their qualifying paperwork and filing fees. But the Republican secretary of state waited until the second day of the sign-up period to formally add his name to the Oct. 24 ballot, allowing the crowds of the first day to clear out.
—Steve Sanoski
