Edmond Jordan
| Edmond Dwayne Jordan | |
|---|---|
| Louisiana State Representative for District 29 (East Baton Rouge Parish) |
|
| Assumed office May 23, 2016 |
|
| Preceded by | Ronnie Edwards |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 1971 Brusly West Baton Rouge Parish Louisiana, USA |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Stacie Nicole Jordan |
| Children | Jailen and Jace Jordan |
| Residence | Brusly, Louisiana |
| Alma mater | Brusly High School Southern University Law Center |
| Occupation | Lawyer Insurance agent |
Edmond Dwayne Jordan (born June 1971)[1] is an African-American Democratic attorney from his native Brusly, Louisiana, who is a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 29 in West and East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana. On May 14, 2016, he won a special election runoff[2] to succeed his fellow African-American Democrat, Ronnie Edwards.
Edwards had served only forty-four days of her only term in the House and had not even actually assumed her duties because even before her election she was in the final stages of a two-year struggle with fatal pancreatic cancer.[3]
Background
Jordan graduated from Brusly High School and the historically black Southern University and the Southern University Law Center, both in the capital city of Baton Rouge. An attorney since 1998, Jordan has represented the Louisiana Public Service Commission, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, and the United States Department of Homeland Security. He co-owns Cypress Insurance Agency in Baton Rouge. He is a graduate of the leadership programs of both the West Baton Rouge/Iberville Chamber of Commerce and the civic organization, the Council For A Better Louisiana. He is a member of the West Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce.[4]
He and his wife, Stacie Nicole Jordan (born December 1971), have two children, Jailen and Jace Jordan.[4]
Days prior to the 2016 runoff campaign, Jailen Jordan after running a stop sign was arrested by Brusly police and charged with possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute. Police reported a strong smell of marijuana when they searched Jordan's car, in which they found more than half a pound of the substance in a book bag, which also contained a handgun and scales. At the West Baton Rouge Parish Detention Center, Judge Elizabeth Engolio set Jordan's bond on the narcotics and weapons charges at more than $40,000. Thta same night, another judge, Alvin Batiste, released Jordan without bond. Even the $30 bond fee was dropped. Allegations persist that someone representing Jailen Jordan went "judge shopping". Edmond Jordan denied making any calls to any judges to have his son's bond reduced and requested prayers for his family.[5]
Political life
On November 21, 2015, Jordan lost the House race to Ronnie Edwards in the regular general election runoff. He polled 4,768 votes (40.9 percent) to her 6,887 (59.1 percent).[6] Edwards defeated Jordan to succeed Representative Regina Barrow, who in turn followed Sharon Weston Broome in the Louisiana State Senate.[7] Barrow and Broome are also African-American Democrats. Edwards like Barrow formerly worked for Broome. Gary Chambers of The Rouge Collection wrote that Jordan answered questions in a public forum while Edwards did not make an appearance. "Honestly, in the white community, this would never have happened. We as blacks blindly vote for people, based on name recognition, and we must change this pattern," Chambers said.[8]
Five Democrats were candidates in the special election held on April 9 to choose Edwards' successor. In the second round of balloting between the top two vote-getters, Jordan defeated in a low-turnout contest another Democrat, Vereta Tanner Lee (born March 1958), a third-term member of the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, 2,019 votes (59.6 percent) and 1,368 (40.4 percent).[2] Eliminated in the primary were Tyra Banks Sterling, who had been Edwards' former legislative assistant, attorney Victor Woods, Jr., and Albert White, occupation not available. No Republican filed in the heavily Democrat district.[9]
In the 2015 campaign, Jordan focused on what he called setting the "state budget in line with the priorities that enhance opportunity, not diminish it. Strong economic development and the retention of high quality graduates is an absolute necessity. More specifically, I will fight to balance the disproportionate economic disparity between north and south Baton Rouge. Instead of trying to form a new city, we need to bring businesses to District 29 and help rejuvenate this district."[4]
Governor John Bel Edwards called to congratulate his fellow Democrat on learning of Jordan's election to the state House.[10]
References
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| Louisiana House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Louisiana State Representative for District 29 (East and West Baton Rouge parishes) Edmond Dwayne Jordan |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
- Pages using div col with unknown parameters
- 1971 births
- Living people
- People from West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana
- Louisiana lawyers
- Insurance agents
- African-American politicians
- Activists for African-American civil rights
- Politicians from Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Louisiana Democrats
- Members of the Louisiana House of Representatives
