Rep. Rick Edmonds to Seek Secretary of State

Republican Lawmaker Rick Edmonds announced today he is a candidate for Louisiana Secretary of State in the special election that will be held Nov. 6, 2018.
Edmonds, who currently serves as State Representative in Baton Rouge’s 66th District, made his announcement at the East Baton Rouge Parish Republican Women’s monthly luncheon at Juban’s Restaurant in Baton Rouge.
He also posted a video at www.facebook.com/RickEdmondsLA introducing himself to Louisiana voters.
“Louisiana is in desperate need for more conservative leaders,” Edmonds said. “With the topics of voting and elections being so prominently discussed on the national stage, putting the right person with the right principles in this office is now more important than ever.”
“As a legislator, I have served as a watchdog for the taxpayer and a fighter against out-of-control government spending,” he said. “I will take this same watchdog mentality to the Secretary of State’s office by doing everything I can to fight against any and all attempts to weaken secure voting. Only Americans who live in Louisiana should be voting. And, when Louisianans vote, their vote should count. End of story.”
Edmonds is a member of the House Appropriations, Education and Municipal committees, where he has fought hard to reduce fraud and wasteful spending and led efforts to ensure tax dollars are spent efficiently. He is a respected advocate for school choice, quality preschool programs, and stronger pro-life and adoption policies. Recently, he authored legislation to improve voter participation and cut wasteful spending across the state by eliminating low turnout election days on the calendar.
Edmonds works as a senior advisor for Bethany Church, overseeing local outreach and efforts to rebuild the academy. He felt a call to ministry as a young man, and has served congregations in Florida and Louisiana, including Parkview Baptist Church in Baton Rouge and Calvary Baptist Church and Academy in Shreveport. His job responsibilities along the way have included ministry, coaching, teaching, counseling and administrative management.
He successfully managed as many as 200 employees and a $12 million annual budget during his tenure, and has been recognized nationally for his leadership in growing local ministries.
Edmonds holds a bachelor’s degree from East Texas Baptist University and a Master’s of Divinity from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
Edmonds and his wife Cindy recently celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary. They have four grown, accomplished sons and daughters-in-law, and eight grandchildren.