Candidate: Buddy Roemer
Jim Cole, AP
ABOUT
Roemer has had difficulty jump-starting his campaign and trouble raising funds, partly because of his refusal to accept money from political action committees. He also limits other contributions to $100 per person. Roemer has consistently fallen at the bottom of national polls and has not been invited to participate in any of the nationally televised GOP debates.
While in Congress, Roemer identified himself as a conservative Democrat. He served on the Banking, Small Business and Public Works committees. In 1991, he switched to the Republican Party.
ELECTIVE OFFICE
U.S. House, 1981-88 as a Democrat
Governor of Louisiana 1988-92, elected as a Democrat but switched to Republican
OTHER CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Roemer founded Innovative Data Systems, a software company, and Red River Valley Bank after coming home to Louisiana after college. Following his stint as Louisiana’s governor, Roemer returned to business, joining FG Group, a company focused on trade in Asian markets. He went on to found his own trading company, the Sterling Group. He also worked in real estate with his own firm, Roemer Development. Additionally, he was named a Kennedy Fellow at Harvard.
Vital Stats
- Date of Birth: Oct. 4, 1943
- Education: Bachelor’s in economics, 1964, and MBA in finance, 1967, Harvard Business School
- Family: Wife, Scarlett. He has two children, Caroline and Charles, from his marriage to his first wife, Frances Demler, and one son, Dakota, from his marriage to Patti Crocker.
- Current home: Baton Rouge
- Religion: Roemer is Methodist.
FUNDRAISING
At the end of September, Roemer had $46,000 cash in hand, which was well behind the eight leading candidates. In total, he had raised about $232,000.
SOURCES
The Des Moines Register, opensecrets.org, buddyroemer.com, USA TODAY research by Alicia McCarty
