There was an upset in Baton Rouge late Tuesday night. And this time, it didn’t involve Tiger Stadium.
Political newcomer and Republican Sid Edwards received 34% of the vote for mayor-president of East Baton Rouge, while Democratic incumbent Sharon-Weston Broome garnered 31%. The two will face each other in a runoff election on Dec. 7.
Ted James, a favorite to win in many late polling predictions, was eliminated after receiving 28% of votes.
In front of a charged crowd of supporters chanting "four more years," Broome highlighted eight years of steady leadership that she said turned a struggling city into the “strongest economy in Louisiana.”
“We inherited crumbling infrastructure, communities divided by tragedy and distrust, and a foundation that was cracked,” she said. “Yet together, we have been working tirelessly to rebuild and reimagine a better Baton Rouge.”
Carla Powell-Lewis, an East Baton Rouge School Board member, said she’s supported the mayor since before 2004, when Broome was a state representative.
“She was the very first guest speaker I invited to my class when I was teaching at Central Middle…She brought her authentic self to my students…I will forever remember that," Powell-Lewis said at a watch party.
The former school board president said there were just too many initiatives that Broome was spearheading, including literacy programs throughout the city.
“I do believe in four years, we will need a new face,” Powell-Lewis added. “But right now it is still her time to serve.”
Meanwhile, Edwards said he was “stunned” by his own victory, one that defied a majority of polling predictions placing him well behind two seasoned political veterans.
“We didn’t have the resources that other folks had,.” he said Tuesday night. “But the ones we had, we utilized well.”
The 61-year-old also serves as the head football coach and Dean of Students at Istrouma High School. His decision to run for Mayor-President was partly inspired by the death of his former player, 16-year-old Ramide Cosey, who fell victim to a drive-by shooting. Combating crime has been the cornerstone of his campaign, which seemed to appeal to residents seeking a fresh face to helm a city on track to match its deadliest year on record.
“Every morning there seems like there's another murder,” said John Waggonsabck, a recent LSU graduate who voted for Edwards. “Something has to happen.”
Edwards’s most specific policy is a plan to hire 100 new police officers but has also made eliminating blight and homelessness a top priority.
James’s unsuccessful bid comes after shattering fundraising records and receiving the backing of the parish’s Democratic Party. After touting his bipartisan appeal throughout the campaign, it seemed Edwards siphoned away James’s potential red tide, while Broome's allies staved off just enough Democratic support.
A former state representative and official in President Biden’s Small Business Administration, James was once a close political ally of Broome’s, but the relationship soured the moment James decided to challenge the two-term incumbent in February. Two weeks ago, the Broome campaign released a video of James caught on a hot mic, which portrayed him as making misogynistic comments about women in politics.
As results started trickling in around at 9:15 pm Tuesday, Edwards, who largely refrained from the type of bickering and attack ads that Broome and James have employed, suddenly shot ahead of both candidates.
“We didn’t get negative on people,” he said. “I feel when people do that they make it about them. It's not about the people.”
Longtime local pollster Bernie Pinsonant had indicted an Edwards upset as early as Monday. He predicted a strong turnout among Trump supporters combined with questions surrounding the predominantly white City of St. George would boost Edwards, the only white frontrunner.
Five other candidates each received less than 2% of the votes.
Broome is well-acquainted with two-round elections. In 2016, she eked out a 4 percentage-point victory against Republican Bodie White in a second round of voting. Then in 2020, she garnered 57% of votes in another runoff against former State Representative Steve Carter.
“Ted, you’ve been a formidable opponent and a noble public servant,” she said “Now it's time for our family to heal and come together.”
“In the coming days, you will see the vast difference between the East Baton Rouge Parish I envision and have built the foundation for, and the vision of my opponent Sid Edwards,” she said. “My vision is working together to build a city that we can all be proud of.”
Now Edwards is looking to secure additional funding for the runoff.
“We have very little money left, probably a couple thousand,” he said. “But we’re gonna get back on the fundraising trail, we’re confident we can raise some money.”
Mayoral races in Louisiana adhere to the majority vote, or jungle primary system. If one candidate received more than 50% of the vote on Tuesday, the race would have been over.
Looking ahead, voter turnout typically declines significantly in runoffs, especially during presidential election years. During the 2020 election, 70% of registered voters in East Baton Rouge participated in the Nov. 3 general election, according to data from the Secretary of State. Turnout plummeted to 39% a month later when Mayor Broome secured reelection.
According to Broome’s campaign, at least one more debate is scheduled before Dec. 7, though additional debates are likely. Coach Edwards may have to work around some scheduling conflicts; Istrouma High School has one more regular season football game before the 7-2 team heads to the playoffs.
“I plan on sticking it out with the boys for sure,” he said.
