Ronnie Edwards

Rodnette Bethley "Ronnie" Edwards
Louisiana State Representative for District 29 (East Baton Rouge Parish)
In office January 11, 2016 – February 24, 2016
Preceded by	Regina Barrow
Succeeded by	Pending special election
Personal details
Born	July 20, 1952 Woodville, Wilkinson County Mississippi, USA
Died	February 24, 2016 (aged 63) Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Resting place	Heavenly Gates Mausoleum in Baton Rouge
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Oliver Gene Edwards, Sr.
Children	Chanel Gene Edwards Ward Cody Jerome Edwards Stepchildren: Oliver Edwards, Jr. Tammy Edwards
Parents	James Bethley Gladys D. Hammond
Residence	Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Religion	Christianity

For the American actress, see Ronnie Claire Edwards.

Rodnette Bethley Edwards, known as Ronnie Edwards (July 20, 1952 – February 24, 2016), was an African-American Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 29 in West and East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana. Officially in office for forty-four days, she never actually assumed her duties because she was in the final stages of a two-year struggle with fatal pancreatic cancer.^[1]

Background

Edwards was born to the late James Bethley and Gladys D. Hammond, her surviving mother, in Woodville in Wilkinson County in southwestern Mississippi. Her House predecessor, Regina Barrow, is also a native of Wilkinson County. Edwards and her husband, Oliver Gene Edwards, Sr. (born July 1950), have two surviving children, Chanel Gene Edwards Ward and husband, Ronald, of New Orleans and Cody Jerome Edwards and wife, Nicole, of Baton Rouge, and two step-children from her husband's prior marriage, Oliver Edwards, Jr., and wife, Priscilla, and Cody Jerome Edwards and wife, Nicole, all of Baton Rouge.^[2]

Political life

Edwards qualified for state representative by proxy while she was confined to Baton Rouge General Hospital undergoing treatment. She had earlier undergone treatment from Cancer Treatment Centers of America at the facility in Atlanta, Georgia. Edwards ran for the House hoping that she would survive the cancer and could work to improve health care for the disadvantaged.^[1]

Edwards won a runoff election on November 21, 2015 over her fellow Democrat, attorney Edmond D. Jordan (born June 1971) of Brusly in West Baton Rouge Parish, 6,887 (59.1 percent) to 4,768 (40.9 percent).^[3] She was elected to succeed Representative Regina Barrow, who in turn followed Sharon Weston Broome in the Louisiana State Senate.^[4] Both Barrow and Broome are also African-American Democrats. Edwards like Barrow formerly worked for Broome. Gary Chambers of The Rouge Collection wrote that voters should know the candidates' "plan for the future in specifics, Edwards didn’t answer any of [our] questions. Her opponent [Jordan], however, showed up and answered questions. 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."^[5] Freshman State Representative C. Denise Marcelle called Edwards "a fighter". Edwards and Marcelle were colleagues on the Baton Rouge Metro Council; Edwards served on the council for six years. Both women were elected to the state House from districts in predominantly black North Baton Rouge.^[1]

Kip Holden, the Baton Rouge Mayor-President who is term limited in 2016, said that Edwards "had a key concern for her constituents. She would listen to them and work to improve their quality of life.”^[1] Broome is now a candidate to succeed Holden as Mayor-President.

Edwards is interred at Heavenly Gates Mausoleum in Baton Rouge.^[2]

Five Democrats are candidates in the special election scheduled for April 9 to choose a successor to Mrs. Edwards. They include former 2015 challengers Edmond Jordan and Vereta Lee, a third-term member of the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, Tyra Banks Sterling, Edwards’ former legislative assistant, attorney Victor Woods, Jr., and Albert White, occupation not available No Republican filed in the heavily Democrat district.^[6]

References

1. Rebekah Allen (February 24, 2016). "'Gentle and kind' Louisiana state Rep. Ronnie Edwards dies after 2-year battle with cancer". The Baton Rouge Advocate. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
2. "Rep. Rodnette Bethley "Ronnie" Edwards". The Baton Rouge Advocate. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
3. "Election Results". Louisiana Secretary of State. November 21, 2015. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
4. "Membership of the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-Current: East and West Baton Rouge parishes" (PDF). house.louisiana.gov. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
5. Gary Chambers. "The Broome Dynasty Wins Again, With Ronnie Edwards being Elected to Serve as State Representative in District 29". The Rouge Collection. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
6. Rebekah Allen. "Five Democrats qualify for state rep election to fill Ronnie Edwards’ seat". The Baton Rouge Advocate. Retrieved March 11, 2016.