Cao, Schroder advance from BESE District 1 Republican primary

A runoff between Republicans will be needed to finalize the field in the November election to fill a vacancy on the state school board.

Former Congressman Joseph Cao of Harvey and long-time educator Ellie Schroder of Abita Springs will meet on June 27 to decide who advances in the race for District 1 on the Board of Elementary of Secondary Education. 

Cao and Schroder finished ahead of New Orleans insurance executive Michael Hollis, who was hoping to replace his brother, Paul Hollis, who left his BESE seat when President Donald Trump appointed him U.S. Mint director.  

Cao, an attorney who Gov. Jeff Landry appointed to replace Paul Hollis on an interim basis, flirted with an outright win Saturday. He claimed 47% of the vote to 31% for Schroder, the wife of former state Treasurer John Schroder.

The GOP runoff winner will go up against Angela Hershey, a retired teacher from Madisonville who didn’t draw an opponent in the Democratic primary, in the Nov. 3 general election.

BESE District 1 covers Slidell and most of rural St. Tammany Parish, most of the Jefferson Parish east bank, sections of the Jefferson west bank and parts of Orleans and Tangipahoa parishes.

Voters without a party affiliation were allowed to vote in Saturday’s election, when they could choose a Democratic or Republican ballot — or a no-party slate without the races in the semi-closed primaries. For those who picked a party slate, they have to stick with that choice through the June runoffs but can vote for any candidate in the November election.

The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education establishes curriculum standards, provides financial oversight and sets teacher certification guidelines for Louisiana’s K-12 public schools. 

Eight of its 11 members are elected from regional districts across the state, and the governor appoints three to at-large seats. Including Cao, its current roster includes six Republicans and two Democrats.

Two of Landry’s three at-large BESE appointees — Conrad Appel and Simone Champagne — are Republicans, while the third, Judy Armstrong, has no party affiliation.