Broadwater and his wife, the former Hilaria Nelson, originally from Franklinton in Washington Parish have three daughters — Emma Grace, Rose Kathron, and Maggie Frances.[2] The Broadwaters are members of First Presbyterian Church of Hammond.
Career
Broadwater listed the key campaign issues in 2011 as economic development and education. He claimed that his private sector experience and his work as the former director of the office of workers compensation would give him an early advantage as a legislator. Broadwater promised to pursue a balanced state budget. As the former head of a state agency, he developed and managed a $62 million departmental budget during the first term of GovernorBobby Jindal.[2]
At the end of the special legislative session in June 2017, Broadwater secured House support without a single dissenting vote on the resolution introduced by state SenatorRick Ward, III, of Port Allen in West Baton Rouge Parish, which implores lawmakers to act in a more civil fashion toward one another, not to let partisanship and political views sour personal relations with colleagues. "There are always a lot of heated
discussions, but it seems to me like we're moving away from philosophical disagreements on issues and getting personal," Ward said.[3] Republican U.S. RepresentativeMike Johnson of Louisiana's 4th congressional district, who is a former member of the state House of Representatives, expressed a similar view in a document which he wrote as a congressional freshman.[3]
Statewide radiotalk show host Moon Griffon has been sharply critical of what he claims is Broadwater's largely Democratic political philosophy, having called Broadwater a "fiscal fool." Though the lawmaker is a registered Republican, he has been conciliatory to policies advanced by GovernorJohn Bel Edwards.[4]
Broadwater has previous experience with the Louisiana Workforce Commission. In March 2018, he was named vice president of workforce policy for the Louisiana Community and Technical College System.[5]
