Changes

As Governor Roemer's human resources secretary from 1990 to 1992, Gomez concentrated much of his efforts on preservation of the shrinking Louisiana coast lands, managed through the Office of Coastal Restoration. He also chaired an Oil Spill Task Force which made recommendation enacted by the legislature in 1991 to reduce the impact of future oil-spillage accidents.[25]

As Governor Roemer's human resources secretary from 1990 to 1992, Gomez concentrated much of his efforts on preservation of the shrinking Louisiana coast lands, managed through the Office of Coastal Restoration. He also chaired an Oil Spill Task Force which made recommendation enacted by the legislature in 1991 to reduce the impact of future oil-spillage accidents.[25]

As his tenure as natural resources secretary ended, Gomez entered the Lafayette mayor's race held on March 10, 1992, in conjunction with the presidential primaries in Louisiana. The incumbent Republican Dud Lastrapes, a former journalist and an [[insurance]] agent who later became his party's state chairman, did not seek a fourth term. Gomez led the primary field with 12,127 votes (40 percent) and went into a second race with former Mayor Kenneth "Kenny" Bowen. a Republican-turned-Democrat, who had previously held the position of mayor from 1972 to 1980. Bowen trailed in the first primary with 10,301 (34 percent). Two other candidates also ran, Democrat Kathy Ashworth, with 7,344 (24 percent), and Republican Emile Vidrine, with 603 votes (2 percent).[26] In the all-Democratic general election allowed under the Louisiana primary system and held on April 11, Bowen defeated Gomez by 166 votes, 14,677 to 14,511.[27]Gomez described his opponent, Mayor Bowen as "acrimonious" [with a] usual confrontational, self-serving, and cynical mode."[28]

As his tenure as natural resources secretary ended, Gomez entered the Lafayette mayor's race held on March 10, 1992, in conjunction with the presidential primaries in Louisiana. The incumbent Republican Dud Lastrapes, a former journalist and an [[insurance]] agent who later became his party's state chairman, did not seek a fourth term. Gomez led the primary field with 12,127 votes (40 percent) and went into a second race with former Mayor Kenneth "Kenny" Bowen. a Republican-turned-Democrat, who had previously held the position of mayor from 1972 to 1980. Bowen trailed in the first primary with 10,301 (34 percent). Two other candidates also ran, Democrat Kathy Ashworth, with 7,344 (24 percent), and Republican Emile Vidrine, with 603 votes (2 percent).[26] In the all-Democratic general election allowed under the Louisiana primary system and held on April 11, Bowen defeated Gomez by 166 votes, 14,677 to 14,511.[27] Gomez described his opponent, Mayor Bowen as "acrimonious" [with a] usual confrontational, self-serving, and cynical mode."[28]

 

==Personal life==

==Personal life==

Gomez is divorced from the former Purdy Linton, now Purdy Gers of Baton Rouge. In 1975, he married his second and current wife, the former Carol Ross, a USL graduate originally from King of Prussia, [[Pennsylvania]], who assists him in the current operation of The Acadiana Gazette. Carol Gomez has an advertising agency known as Edge Communications, with such clients as the Lafayette Surgical Specialty Hospital. She also has her own radio program on KPEL-Lafayette and has on occasion substituted for statewide broadcaster [[Moon Griffon]]. Gomez has three living children from the previous marriage, Ronald James "Jimmie" Gomez, Jr., of Baton Rouge, Nanette Oliver of Lafayette, and Laurence Hughes Gomez of [[Austin]], [[Texas]]. He held the custody of the children after the divorce. A third son, Gregory Stephen Gomez, died in 1996 in Austin in an accident at the age of thirty-three. As of 2010, Gomez had six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. [2]

Gomez is divorced from the former Purdy Linton, now Purdy Gers of Baton Rouge. In 1975, he married his second and current wife, the former Carol Ross, a USL graduate originally from King of Prussia, [[Pennsylvania]], who assists him in the current operation of The Acadiana Gazette. Carol Gomez has an advertising agency known as Edge Communications, with such clients as the Lafayette Surgical Specialty Hospital. She also has her own radio program on KPEL-Lafayette and has on occasion substituted for statewide broadcaster [[Moon Griffon]]. Gomez has three living children from the previous marriage, Ronald James "Jimmie" Gomez, Jr., of Baton Rouge, Nanette Oliver of Lafayette, and Laurence Hughes Gomez of [[Austin]], [[Texas]]. He held the custody of the children after the divorce. A third son, Gregory Stephen Gomez, died in 1996 in Austin in an accident at the age of thirty-three. As of 2010, Gomez had six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. [2]