Interim Councilwoman Denise Amoroso has announced she intends to run in the special election that will decide who would serve out the remainder of her late husband's term on the East Baton Rouge Metro Council.
Amoroso made the announcement in a message posted Thursday morning to her official Facebook page.
She was appointed to the District 8 seat in July following the death of her husband Buddy Amoroso. He was killed in a bicycle crash in West Feliciana Parish in the middle of his second term on the council.
Amoroso said she wanted to first serve in the position for a little while before making her decision.
Newly appointed Baton Rouge Metro Councilwoman Denise Amoroso says she'll approach her job by asking โWhat would Buddy do?โ in honor of her la…
โI believe this is what Buddy would have wanted me to do,โ she said. โHe was committed to his job and loved being a city council person. Iโm just going to try to do the very best I can to fulfill his desire to serve the community.โ
Amoroso's appointment to her husband's seat was marred with controversy after a majority of the council's black Democrats tried to block the widow from serving on an interim basis because they wanted to add another Democrat to the Metro Council to create an even split of representation with council's Republicans, who hold the majority on the 12-member body.
But Amoroso was able to gain the votes she needed since Councilwoman Tara Wicker broke party lines and approved her appointment.
A caustic East Baton Rouge Metro Council debate over how to fill Buddy Amorosoโs council seat tumbled so far off course that Councilwoman Tara…
She claimed Thursday to have a better working relationship with her fellow councilmen following the turmoil, remaining steadfast in her belief that taking the high road was the best response to the controversary.
"I am excited to announce this morning that I am running to finish what Buddy began," Amoroso wrote in her Facebook post. "These past few months have been tough on everyone in our family, but we've done what families do: pull together and focus on the day we've been given. Along the way, I've earned an extended family โ the residents of District 8 โ who have embraced me as their interim councilwoman."
A special election for the District 8 seat has been set for March 30. The qualifying period begins Jan. 30.