Two SBR Metro Council Seats at Stake

BATON ROUGE — South Baton Rouge voters have two Metro Council seats to fill, and incumbents face challengers in both districts.

In Metro Council District 9, incumbent Councilman Joel Boé is opposed by fellow Republican Ted Rush.

In Metro Council District 12, incumbent Councilman Smokie Bourgeois, a Republican, has two opponents — Democrat Rose Carey and Republican John Delgado.

Here is more information on the candidates:

Metro Council District 9

• Councilman Joel Boé is completing his first term on the Metro Council.  He is a graduate of LSU in Construction Management and also earned an Executive MBA from LSU.  He is a Project Manager with Performance Contractors, Inc. He and his wife have four children.  His goals are to fight crime, improve fiscal responsibility in parish government, and complete the Green Light plan.

• Ted Rush is a self-employed contractor in the sand and gravel business and owner of Rush Industries.  He said he is running to provide ordinary citizens a voice in parish government.  He said he is angry that Councilman Boé passed an ordinance directed at him over the construction of a pond on his property.

Metro Council District 12

• Councilman Smokie Bourgeois is completing his first term as a member of the Metro Council.  A graduate of Catholic High who attended LSU, he is the owner of three George’s Restaurants.  Known for his plain talk and willingness to take on the Mayor-President, downtown interests, and the Rouzan project, Bourgeois said, “The most enjoyable and rewarding thing about being a councilman is being able to help people with their problems in a way that is the most beneficial for them.” Bourgeois has been endorsed for reelection by the Republican Party of East Baton Rouge Parish.

• Rose Carey, who is retired, has been endorsed by the Democratic Party of East Baton Rouge Parish.  She said she wants to fight crime, promote education, and be a unifying force.

• Attorney John Delgado graduated from Catholic High and LSU before earning his law degree at Tulane University.  He has practiced law for 12 years and has been elected to the House of Delegates of the Louisiana State Bar Association.  Delgado, who is endorsed by the Baton Rouge Police Union, said he wants to establish a Civil Enforcement Unit for the Baton Rouge Police Department to execute asset forfeiture and seize drug money and vehicles.  He favors neighborhood policing and concentrating on small problems such as panhandling and vandalism.