PHOTO;b/w,AP(FP,Buddy Roemer III,O);PHOTO;b/w,Stephan Sovia,AP(FP,[Edwin Edwards],O)

The flamboyant Edwards, 60, who dominated state politics for two decades despite numerous charges of ethical misdeeds, declined challenging fellow Democrat Roemer in a Nov. 21 runoff after two other challengers endorsed Roemer. Vote totals Sunday gave Roemer 33 percent to Edwards' 28 percent.

Roemer may seem odd as a reformer. His background is in old-school Louisiana politics. His father, Charles ``Budgie'' Roemer, once was Edwards' top aide and spent 15 months in jail in a bribery and kickback scheme.