After the state primary ended with no candidate receiving over 50 percent of the vote Oct. 14, the Louisiana treasurer will be selected with a run-off election. Democrat Derrick Edwards and Republican John Schroder will face off again Nov. 18 with early voting taking place until Nov. 11.

Derrick Edwards

After breaking his neck and suffering permanent paralysis from the neck down, Democrat Derrick Edwards graduated from Tulane University School of Business and Loyola University College of Law. He has no political background but has been a practicing attorney in New Orleans since 2003.

As part of his campaign, Edwards has focused on accountability and transparency, education and wasteful government spending.

If elected, Edwards plans to post bills costing the taxpayers to the state treasurer’s website and social media. This way, Louisiana citizens will know what money is being spent on and who voted for each bill.

He also promises to fight further cuts to education and the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students, as well as work to prevent more cuts to healthcare.

“We have to stop putting the tax burden and budget cuts on the middle class and working people of Louisiana,” his website says.

More information on Derrick Edwards is available on his campaign website at votederrickedwards.com.

John Schroder

Rep. Schroder graduated from Southeastern Louisiana University and is a veteran of the U.S. Army. Before becoming a representative in the state Legislature, Schroder owned a small business and was a real estate agent and developer.

During his 10 years in the Legislature, the representative served on eight different committees, including Appropriations, Joint Budget, Special Committee on Military Affairs and the Taskforce for Legal Representation of Children.

He is also a founder of the “House Fiscal Budget Hawks,” a “group of legislators committed to ending wasteful government spending, balancing the budget and ending the practice of using one-time money on recurring expenses,” according to Schroder’s election website.

Schroder has been avidly against raising taxes for Louisiana citizens in his campaign platform. Instead, he is advocating for a more straightforward budgeting process and a complete overhaul of the state tax system.

“Louisiana has a spending problem, not a revenue problem. We are structurally broken,” his website says.

As treasurer, Schroder vows that he will stand for the taxpayers first.

More information on John Schroder can be found on his campaign website at johnschroder.com.