Edwards defeats Bruom in the mayoral race Baton Rouge – AOL

(Central Square)-Rebublikan Sid Edwards was elected mayor-president of Baton Rug, defeating democratic acting Sharon Weston Broome in a decisive victory.

Edwards, a candidate for the first time, provided 54% of the vote, including a similar margin in early voting, noting a significant change in city leadership

“I want to thank the mayor Broome,” Edwards said in his speech to win. “The most difficult place it should be is the acting because you have a record. She spent almost 36 years in public service, the last eight as our mayor. She will be rejected by me if I do not thank her for her service and running a good race .

A long -time football coach who led the high schools in Louisiana to three national championships, Edwards promised to bring a change to Baton Rouge.

“We are not saying that everything was bad at Baton Rouge, but there are things that need to change.

President Mayor Sharon Weston Broome, turning to his supporters after the results, admitted the result with Grace.

“We stood tall and fought hard,” she said. “While the result tonight is not what we wanted, it does not reduce the progress we have achieved or hopefully inspired for this city.”

Broome’s loss marks his first selective defeat in a political career, spanning decades.

During her term, she focuses on public safety, economic development and initiatives such as a safe, reliable, healthy program for the pc aimed at reducing crime and enabled communities.

The issue of crime dominates the competition, with both candidates emphasizing its impact on the community and presenting different approaches to dealing with it.

Broome has emphasized the investments of his administration in law enforcement programs and public programs.

“We have equipped our BRPD with new cars, two new academies and lifts that they have never had,” Broome said in debate. “Through our safe, encouraging, healthy initiative, we have empowered communities with resources. We also increase the employment programs of young people, the training for the development of workforce and education in early childhood to direct our young people to a trajectory for success . ”

However, Edwards criticize the city’s ranking as the least safe among 182 major cities in the United States in a recent poll.

“The trauma, despair and the hopelessness I saw when I peeled off this curtain were incredible,” Edwards said, adding that he was not feeling safe in the country’s capital.

He also mentioned a phenomenon he met. Edwards said that when they talk to people in the southern part of the city, they celebrate crime as their top priority.

But when he talks to the residents of the North Baton Rouge, where crime is particularly pronounced, he said that residents mention the lack of jobs as a top priority.

Edwards suggested adding 100 new officers to the street to focus on community police.

“It’s not about locking every Tommy and Joe, but we have to get to the community police,” Edwards explained.