Baton Rouge school board spending hits $521,000
Outside groups are outspending candidates two to one in seven races heading into Tuesday's vote.
By Rosa Fuentes ·
Election spending in Baton Rouge school board races reached $521,000 as of mid-October, according to campaign finance reports filed earlier this week.
The figures cover activity from September 25 through October 14, plus late October special reports. Outside interest groups account for the majority of the expenditure. These groups have spent $7 for every $3 that the 19 candidates on the ballot have spent directly.
This total is lower than the nearly $1 million spent at this stage of the election cycle four years ago. The 2022 cycle eventually surpassed $2.5 million. Two candidates, Cliff Lewis in District 5 and Patrick Martin V in District 9, won re-election without opposition. Lewis contributed $3,250 to three Democratic candidates, while Martin gave $10,409 to four Republican candidates.
Four of the seven remaining races feature three or more candidates. If no candidate in those contests secures a majority, runoffs will occur on December 12. The Baton Rouge Alliance for Students has reported spending over $300,000 through its two political arms. The majority of those funds supported independent campaigns for the nine candidates the group endorsed. Direct contributions to those candidates totaled about $41,000, with individual gifts ranging from $2,000 to $6,000. The Alliance retains approximately $615,000 in reserves.
Democrats for Education Reform, known as DFER, has disbursed around $97,000. Its political arm, Education Reform Now Advocacy, spent more than $91,000 campaigning for four endorsed candidates and against two others. Four candidates, Tristan George, Eugene “Rico” Williams III, Shashonnie Steward, and Chris Spalatin, hold endorsements from both major groups. Steward is the only incumbent among them. Independent spending on their behalf ranges from $12,500 for Williams to $26,660 for Spalatin.
The Alliance also endorsed five other candidates, including incumbents Nathan Rust and Emily Soulé. DFER is opposing incumbent Carla Powell-Lewis and former board member Vereta Lee. Its political arm has spent nearly $13,000 against them. After the reporting period ended on October 14, the Alliance launched an opposition campaign against first-time District 7 candidate Hannah Amoroso. Its affiliate, Red Stick Leaders for Students, mailed two attack pieces in the past week. This spending is not due for reporting until December 2.
District 7 is currently the most expensive race, with candidates spending nearly $58,000 and outside groups contributing another $105,000. Amoroso has raised over $40,000, including $4,000 in personal loans. She opposed the use of political action committees and returned a $1,000 gift from a local teachers union. Adonica Duggan, CEO of the Alliance, stated that Red Stick does not plan to oppose additional candidates before Tuesday. Duggan reserved such spending for candidates who might hinder progress from the last four years.
Overall spending has decreased partly due to cohesion in the local education reform sector. Stand for Children Louisiana, which spent about $900,000 in 2022, closed in 2024. The Alliance is now generally supporting incumbents, unlike in the previous cycle. Fewer races and fewer candidates also reduced costs. The average spend per candidate is $8,649, down from $10,788 four years ago. Nine candidates have spent less than $5,000. Conservative donor Eddie Rispone gave $37,000 to Republican candidates. CSRS, a construction management firm, contributed over $17,000 to five incumbents and one newcomer.
