Craig Romero
Encyclopedia
Craig Francis Romero is a New Iberia
corporate salesman who represented District 22 in the Louisiana State Senate
from 1993 to 2008. The district includes the parishes of Iberia, Lafayette, St. Martin, and Vermilion. Romero was president of the Iberia Parish government
from 1984 to 1992. He unsuccessfully ran as a Republican
for the U.S. House of Representatives in Louisiana's Third Congressional District in both 2004 and 2006.
In 2004, Romero ran for the Third District seat but finished third in the state's unique jungle primary
. The seat in question was formerly held from 1980 to 2005 by Wilbert Joseph "Billy" Tauzin, Jr.
, a Democrat
-turned-Republican. In the 2004 race, Romero faced the retiring Tauzin's son, Republican Billy Tauzin III
and Democrat Charlie Melancon
of Napoleonville
, the seat of Assumption Parish, a sugar lobbyist and former State Representative with a long family history in Louisiana's sugar industry. The race was highly controversial, as the elder Tauzin convinced the state Republican party to endorse his son, upsetting many of Romero's supporters and fueling charges of nepotism
. In the home stretch of the race, the Tauzin campaign released several advertisements accusing Romero of being a liberal, most notably claiming that he supported the legalization of sodomy
. Under the jungle primary system, if the leading candidate does not receive over 50 percent of the vote, the top two finishers in a race - regardless of party affiliation - advance to a runoff election, which is held several weeks after the national general election. On election day, Romero missed the primary by a razor-thin margin, receiving 22 percent of the vote to Melancon's 23 percent and Tauzin's 32 percent. Another factor contributing to Romero's defeat may have been his refusal in 2003 to endorse the Republican candidate for governor, Bobby Jindal
, who lost to the Democrat Kathleen Babineaux Blanco of Lafayette
.
Romero remained upset with Tauzin over his campaign's negative attacks and the manner in which the state party endorsed him, and thus remained neutral for the runoff, refusing to endorse Tauzin. Melancon defeated Tauzin by just over 500 votes, leading many political observers to speculate that the rift with Romero and his supporters cost Tauzin the election.
In 2006, Romero ran for the seat again as the only GOP
candidate. (map). In a year adverse to Republicans nationally, Romero was handily defeated by freshman incumbent
Democrat
Melancon in the November 7, 2006, midterm election
. In addition to a political atmosphere hostile to Republicans and the natural advantage of incumbency, some pundits have speculated that Melancon benefited from a "halo effect" for what was perceived to be a strong response to Hurricane Katrina
.
graduate of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
, formerly known as the University of Southwestern Louisiana. He is affiliated with the Louisiana Cattleman's Association and the Charolais
Breeders Association. He is a member of the Louisiana Worker's Compensation Board. He is a former member of the Legislative Audit Advisory Council. He is a former appointee to the advisory committee to the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. Romero is a former member of the Louisiana Parks and Recreation Commission and the Police Jury (county commission in other states) Association. Previously, he was named "Man of the Year" by the New Iberia Jaycees. He has also been affiliated with St. Edwards Church School in New Iberia. He is Roman Catholic. Romero is married to the former Pamela Hulin (born 1956).They have seven children, Nicholas, Hannah, Jacob, Sarah, Bethany, Danielle, and Isaac.
Romero was ineligible to seek reelection in 2007. He was succeeded by a Democrat, outgoing State Representative Troy Hebert
of Jeanerette
, who narrowly defeated Republican Jeff Landry
of New Iberia, 14,876 votes (51 percent) to 14,208 (49 percent) in the November 17 general election. Landry was a legislative aide to Romero and the outgoing's senator's preferred choice as his successor. Landry is a candidate in 2010 for the Republican nomination for the Third District U.S. House seat.
Romero was originally elected as a Democrat to the Senate seat in 1993 to succeed Democrat Oswald A. Decuir, who resigned. He switched to Republican affiliation on September 6, 1995.
New Iberia, Louisiana
New Iberia is a city in and the parish seat of Iberia Parish, Louisiana, United States, 30 miles southeast of Lafayette. In 1900, 6,815 people lived in New Iberia; in 1910, 7,499; and in 1940, 13,747...
corporate salesman who represented District 22 in the Louisiana State Senate
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
from 1993 to 2008. The district includes the parishes of Iberia, Lafayette, St. Martin, and Vermilion. Romero was president of the Iberia Parish government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
from 1984 to 1992. He unsuccessfully ran as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
for the U.S. House of Representatives in Louisiana's Third Congressional District in both 2004 and 2006.
In 2004, Romero ran for the Third District seat but finished third in the state's unique jungle primary
Jungle primary
A nonpartisan blanket primary is a primary election in which all candidates for elected office run in the same primary regardless of political party. Under this system, the top two candidates who receive the most votes advance to the next round, as in a runoff election...
. The seat in question was formerly held from 1980 to 2005 by Wilbert Joseph "Billy" Tauzin, Jr.
Billy Tauzin
Wilbert Joseph Tauzin II , usually known as Billy Tauzin, American lobbyist and politician of Cajun descent, was President and CEO of PhRMA, a pharmaceutical company lobby group...
, a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
-turned-Republican. In the 2004 race, Romero faced the retiring Tauzin's son, Republican Billy Tauzin III
Billy Tauzin III
Wilbert Joseph "Billy" Tauzin III was born December 1, 1973 in Thibodaux, Louisiana, the son of Congressman Billy Tauzin and Gayle Clement Tauzin, currently married to Ikram S. Tauzin...
and Democrat Charlie Melancon
Charlie Melancon
Charles Joseph "Charlie" Melancon was the U.S. Representative for , serving from 2005 to 2011, and the unsuccessful 2010 Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican David Vitter.-Early life, education and career:...
of Napoleonville
Napoleonville, Louisiana
Napoleonville is a village in and the parish seat of Assumption Parish, in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population was 686 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Pierre Part Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, the seat of Assumption Parish, a sugar lobbyist and former State Representative with a long family history in Louisiana's sugar industry. The race was highly controversial, as the elder Tauzin convinced the state Republican party to endorse his son, upsetting many of Romero's supporters and fueling charges of nepotism
Nepotism
Nepotism is favoritism granted to relatives regardless of merit. The word nepotism is from the Latin word nepos, nepotis , from which modern Romanian nepot and Italian nipote, "nephew" or "grandchild" are also descended....
. In the home stretch of the race, the Tauzin campaign released several advertisements accusing Romero of being a liberal, most notably claiming that he supported the legalization of sodomy
Sodomy
Sodomy is an anal or other copulation-like act, especially between male persons or between a man and animal, and one who practices sodomy is a "sodomite"...
. Under the jungle primary system, if the leading candidate does not receive over 50 percent of the vote, the top two finishers in a race - regardless of party affiliation - advance to a runoff election, which is held several weeks after the national general election. On election day, Romero missed the primary by a razor-thin margin, receiving 22 percent of the vote to Melancon's 23 percent and Tauzin's 32 percent. Another factor contributing to Romero's defeat may have been his refusal in 2003 to endorse the Republican candidate for governor, Bobby Jindal
Bobby Jindal
Piyush "Bobby" Jindal is the 55th and current Governor of Louisiana and formerly a member of the United States House of Representatives. He is a member of the Republican Party....
, who lost to the Democrat Kathleen Babineaux Blanco of Lafayette
Lafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...
.
Romero remained upset with Tauzin over his campaign's negative attacks and the manner in which the state party endorsed him, and thus remained neutral for the runoff, refusing to endorse Tauzin. Melancon defeated Tauzin by just over 500 votes, leading many political observers to speculate that the rift with Romero and his supporters cost Tauzin the election.
In 2006, Romero ran for the seat again as the only GOP
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
candidate. (map). In a year adverse to Republicans nationally, Romero was handily defeated by freshman incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Melancon in the November 7, 2006, midterm election
Louisiana House elections, 2006
The first round of the Louisiana House election of 2006 were held on Tuesday, November 7, 2006. The terms of all seven Representatives to the United States House of Representatives will expire on January 3, 2007, and will be put up for contest. The winning candidates will serve a two-year term from...
. In addition to a political atmosphere hostile to Republicans and the natural advantage of incumbency, some pundits have speculated that Melancon benefited from a "halo effect" for what was perceived to be a strong response to Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
.
Personal history
Romero is a political sciencePolitical science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
graduate of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette, or UL Lafayette, is a coeducational, public research university located in Lafayette, Louisiana, in the heart of Acadiana...
, formerly known as the University of Southwestern Louisiana. He is affiliated with the Louisiana Cattleman's Association and the Charolais
Charolais cattle
Charolais cattle are a beef breed of cattle which originated in Charolais, around Charolles, in France. They are raised for their meat and are known for their composite qualities when crossed with other breeds, most notably Angus and Hereford cattle...
Breeders Association. He is a member of the Louisiana Worker's Compensation Board. He is a former member of the Legislative Audit Advisory Council. He is a former appointee to the advisory committee to the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. Romero is a former member of the Louisiana Parks and Recreation Commission and the Police Jury (county commission in other states) Association. Previously, he was named "Man of the Year" by the New Iberia Jaycees. He has also been affiliated with St. Edwards Church School in New Iberia. He is Roman Catholic. Romero is married to the former Pamela Hulin (born 1956).They have seven children, Nicholas, Hannah, Jacob, Sarah, Bethany, Danielle, and Isaac.
Romero was ineligible to seek reelection in 2007. He was succeeded by a Democrat, outgoing State Representative Troy Hebert
Troy Hebert
Troy Michael Hebert is a politician from Jeanerette, Louisiana, who is the current Commissioner of the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control. Hebert was appointed commissioner by Republican Governor Bobby Jindal...
of Jeanerette
Jeanerette, Louisiana
Jeanerette is a city in Iberia Parish, Louisiana, United States. Known as "Sugar City", it had a population of 5,997 at the 2000 census. It is part of the New Iberia Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Early years:...
, who narrowly defeated Republican Jeff Landry
Jeff Landry
Jeffrey Martin "Jeff" Landry is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party and the Tea Party Caucus.-Early life, education, and military service:...
of New Iberia, 14,876 votes (51 percent) to 14,208 (49 percent) in the November 17 general election. Landry was a legislative aide to Romero and the outgoing's senator's preferred choice as his successor. Landry is a candidate in 2010 for the Republican nomination for the Third District U.S. House seat.
Romero was originally elected as a Democrat to the Senate seat in 1993 to succeed Democrat Oswald A. Decuir, who resigned. He switched to Republican affiliation on September 6, 1995.
External links
- http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=BS022473
- Louisiana State Senate info on Romero
- http://www400.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcpr&rqsdta=11170717
- http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/11539561.html?index=18&c=y