Sen. Sharon Weston Broome

Senate Member

Sen. Sharon Weston Broome (D)
District# 15

Contact Information

District Office
Legislative Assistant : April D. Hawthorne
Kenyatta Morris Scott
Email Sharon Weston Broome
Phone: (225) 359-9352
Fax: --
Address: P. O. Box 52783
Baton Rouge, LA 70892
Map
Capitol House Switch Band: 225-342-2053
Capitol House Fax: 225-342-0631

Profile

- District #: House District 0
- Party: Democrat
- Caucus Membership: --
- Occupation: Communication Consultant, Sharon Broome Communications
- Education: Unity High School; B.A., University of Wisconsin; M.A., Regent University-Virginia
- Spouse: Marvin Alonzo
- Year Elected:2005
- Last Year Eligible(Term Limit): 2016
- 2007 Election
  Broome was elected to the state Senate during a special election in December 2004 with no opposition, replacing Baton Rouge Mayor Kip Holden. In 2007, she faced only token opposition, carrying an overwhelming 80 percent of the vote.
  Longevity has done wonders for Broome thus far as she will serve the 2008-2012 term as Senate President Pro-tempore.

District Profile

Registered Voters by Parish: East Baton Rouge 100.0%
Municipalities/Communities Represented: Baker, Baton Rouge, Brownfields,
Merrydale, Monticello, Zachary
- Louisiana Map
- District Map
- Metro Map
Economic: District 15 is comprised mostly of North Baton Rouge and the northern, more rural portions of the parish. The economic engines for the district are the petrochemical plants, Southern University, the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport and state government. But the district also includes a strip just north of Florida Boulevard between Airline Highway and the Comite River – where businesses once thrived – all the way to Zachary, which now has its own school district and is enjoying a growth spurt of sorts.

Social: District 15 is a mix of incomes and ideology. In North Baton Rouge, many buildings are in poor physical condition and yet in the neighborhoods surrounding Southern University, middle-class housing and small businesses are well established. The District is 66 percent African-American, and sometimes the beliefs and ideologies of the more liberal black majority conflict with the middle class minority in Baker and Zachary.

Political: Environmental issues are always a hot-button topic here, given the concentration of nearby petrochemical plants. Environmentalists are well organized and Democrats by and large control the politics. In fact, more than 70 percent of residents here are registered Democrats. In 2007, Gov. Bobby Jindal claimed only 28 percent of the vote, putting him in a dead heat with the two other leading Democrats in the race. Political tensions sometimes mount because the white communities in Baker and Zachary tend to be more conservative on social issues than their black neighbors. Crime and employment are the two biggest concerns on most residents’ radar screens.

Biography

- Sharon Weston Broome, a Democrat, was the first African-American female to be elected to the Louisiana State Senate from East Baton Rouge Parish. After serving in the House for 12 years, where she broke another barrier as the first female speaker pro tem, Broome hit the ground running in the upper chamber.
- During her tenure in the Legislature, Broome has authored significant pieces of legislation, such as the Children’s Trust Fund Bill, Saturday Academy Program, Kinship Care Subsidy Program, Social Work Practice Act and the Louisiana Commission on Marriage and Family. Despite her party affiliation, Broome is probably one of the more conservative Democratic votes in the entire Legislature.
- Her strongest asset is her knowledge of the district, being a former member of the Baton Rouge Metro Council and a former reporter for a Baton Rouge television station.
- More than anything else, her devout following of Christianity guides her political decisions. She is a ministry advisor and member of Life Changers Christian Center Church in Baton Rouge and has even made appearances on faith-based programs such as “The 700 Club” and “CTN Live.” While she sees the value of economic development, often filing bills that lift up her district, Broome tends to lean more toward labor interests rather than big business.