Charles Elson "Buddy" Roemer III (October 4, 1943 – May 17, 2021) was an American politician, investor, and banker who served as the 52nd governor of Louisiana from 1988 to 1992, and as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1981 to 1988.

As a member of Congress, Roemer represented Louisiana's 4th congressional district in the northwestern section of the state, which includes Shreveport and Bossier City.

In 1978, Roemer ran in the nonpartisan blanket primary for the 4th district congressional seat, which was vacated by popular incumbent Joe Waggonner, also from Bossier Parish.

In Congress, Roemer frequently supported Ronald Reagan's policy initiatives and fought with the Democratic congressional leadership,[13] though he remained in the party.

[21] In 1988, Roemer claimed that Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis made "a much better choice in terms of politics and impact on Louisiana" in choosing U.S.

[24] Roemer was one of a large number of Democratic candidates to challenge three-term incumbent governor Edwin Edwards, whose flamboyant personality and reputation for questionable ethical practices had polarized voters.

The next day, as political commentator John Maginnis put it, Brown was explaining his statement while Roemer was ordering "Slay the Dragon" buttons.

In April 1988, under executive order, Roemer named William Hawthorn Lynch, a long-term investigative journalist who at the time was with the Baton Rouge bureau of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, as the state's first inspector general.

In October 1989, voters rejected a number of Roemer tax initiatives but approved a State constitutional amendment for transportation improvements.

According to Ron Gomez, Roemer's secretary of natural resources and a former legislator from Lafayette, the LSU-educated Sanderson "with his blond hair spilling to below shoulder length, stepped on so many toes and got into so many faces that he didn't make it into the second year.

said that Sanderson's departure could have been a turning point when the "revolutionary character" of the administration moved from the successful reform platform toward a more traditional political agenda.

[31] Roemer called a special session of the legislature to push an ambitious tax and fiscal reform program for state and local governments.

His secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality, Paul Templet, repeatedly angered Louisiana's politically powerful oil and gas industry.

To make a presidential run, Bolin said that Roemer "needs no political baggage" and that Louisiana "must be viewed as a progressive state" for him to be able to accomplish that goal.

[32] Edward J. Steimel, executive director of the pro-business lobby, the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, also applauded Roemer's early reform efforts.

After two years, senators removed Bares from the position and returned previous president Sammy Nunez of Chalmette in St. Bernard Parish, it was seen[by whom?]

The Cross bill sought to ban abortion in cases of rape and incest and imposed fines of up to $100,000 and ten years imprisonment on the practitioners, Roemer declared the legislation incompatible with the United States Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade.

State Representative Woody Jenkins of Baton Rouge, one of the leading abortion foes in the legislature, said the prohibition regarding rape and incest is needed to prevent women from filing false claims in such matters.

In 1991, with his support, the legislature legalized fifteen floating casinos throughout Louisiana and video poker at bars and truck stops throughout the state.

In March 1991, Roemer switched to the Republican Party just months before the state elections,[37] apparently at the urging of Bush White House Chief of Staff John H. Sununu.

The convention was held in New Orleans through the urging of longtime Louisiana Republican National Committeewoman Virginia Martinez, who had worked for Livingston in the previous campaign.

The convention, as expected, endorsed U.S. Representative Clyde C. Holloway, the favored candidate of the anti-abortion forces in the state, with whom Roemer was at odds at the time.

[42] The 1991 gubernatorial contest included Roemer, Edwin Edwards, David Duke, and Eighth District Congressman Clyde Holloway of Forest Hill, who all ran in Louisiana's open primary.

Immediately after leaving office as governor, Roemer taught a course in economics for the spring semester 1992 at his alma mater, Harvard University.

As a result, Roemer finished fourth with 18 percent of the vote, two percentage points from making the runoff, called the general election in Louisiana.

Roemer passed on the race, and Republican U.S. Representative David Vitter of Louisiana's 1st congressional district, which includes suburban New Orleans, was elected to succeed Breaux.

His wiry, five foot seven, one-hundred thirty-five pound frame would seem to uncoil and grow as he outlined his vision as a fighter against crime, corruption and waste in government, poor education, taxes and industrial pollution.

"[46] In April 2014, Roemer became a partner at The Young Turks, an online progressive news network founded and run by Cenk Uygur.

[47] According to their investment agreement, Roemer's firm is granted a seat on The Young Turks' advisory board, but does not enjoy editorial or content control.

[52] Pledging to limit campaign contributions to $100 (~$135.00 in 2023) per individual, Roemer appeared as one of five candidates at a 2011 March forum in Iowa sponsored by the Faith and Freedom Coalition.