Former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer has died at 77

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Buddy Roemer, a Harvard-educated reform-minded politician whose one tumultuous term as Louisana’s governor was marked by bruising political battles over taxes, budgets and abortion, died Monday at age 77. He came in behind populist Democrat Edwin Edwards who was making a comeback bid after losing the governorship to Roemer four years earlier, and Republican David Duke, the ex-Ku Klux Klan leader. Elected to the U.S. House in 1980, Roemer forged a reputation as one of the “Boll Weevils” -- conservative Southern Democrats who helped President Ronald Reagan pass legislation. It’s important.” Roemer would run again in 1994 but that race ultimately was won by businessman and state Sen. Mike Foster -- another Democrat-turned Republican.