{{short description|American lawyer}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Eric Skrmetta |image = Eric Skrmetta (5856698877) (cropped).jpg |caption = Skrmetta in 2011 |office = Member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission<br>from the 1st district |term_start = January 1, 2009 |term_end = |predecessor = Jay Blossman |successor = |birth_name = Eric Frederick Skrmetta |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|10|1}} |birth_place = New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |party = Republican |spouse = |children = 2 |education = Louisiana State University (BA)<br>Southern University (JD)<br>Tulane University (LLM) }} '''Eric Frederick Skrmetta''' (born October 1, 1958) is an American politician who represents District 1 (largely suburban New Orleans, eastern Florida Parishes, and River Parishes)<ref>In alphabetical order the parishes partly or wholly represented by Skrmetta are Ascension, Jefferson, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Saint Bernard, Saint Charles, Saint Helena, Saint John the Baptist, Saint Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Washington. District 1 thus has a reversed-"C" shape''';''' if it contained East Baton Rouge Parish on its western side, District 1 would form a complete loop with radius in the Greater New Orleans area.</ref> on the Louisiana Public Service Commission (PSC). Skrmetta is a member of the Republican Party.<ref>[http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=35455 Skrmetta on Votesmart.org], [http://www.peoplefinders.com/search/searchpreview.aspx? Skrmetta on Peoplefinders.com.]</ref>

==Education and background== After finishing Brother Martin High School in New Orleans, Skrmetta attended Louisiana State University, where he was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, and in 1981, he received his B.S. degree in industrial technology.<ref>{{cite web |title=Member Directory |url=http://www.tkelsu.org/member-directory |publisher=Beta-Phi chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon |access-date=November 30, 2023}}</ref> In 1985 he was a ''cum laude'' graduate (juris doctor) of Southern University School of Law, passed the Louisiana Bar Exam, and entered the practice of law. In 1986 Skrmetta received his LL.M. in admiralty law from Tulane University Law School.

Since 1989 he has focused on legal mediation. A member of the Louisiana Republican State Central Committee for District 81, in 2003 he unsuccessfully sought to represent the coterminous District 81 in the Louisiana House of Representatives.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lpsc.org/district1.asp |title=Skrmetta profile on the PSC site. |access-date=2009-06-17 |archive-date=2009-09-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090928083208/http://www.lpsc.org/district1.asp |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==2008 Public Service Commissioner campaign== Skrmetta won the race for Public Service Commissioner in a November 4, 2008 runoff after two other candidates (Bruce Kincade and Ken Odinet Sr.) were eliminated in the primary election. His runoff opponent was former Public Service Commissioner John F. Schwegmann, who had no party affiliation.<ref>[http://www400.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcmp&rqsdta=11040816016922 Louisiana 2008 PSC 1 second round results.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081126230632/http://www400.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcms2&rqsdta=100408 |date=2008-11-26 }} See also Robert Travis Scott, [http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2008/10/schwegmann_skrmetta_face_off_f.html “John Schwegmann, Eric Skrmetta face off for PSC post”] in ''Times-Picayune'' (New Orleans), 2008 October 06 (accessed 2009 June 17).]</ref> Skrmetta had the support of then-incumbent District 1 commissioner Jay Blossman, who was barred by term limits from seeking reelection.<ref>Stephanie Grace, [http://blog.nola.com/stephaniegrace/2008/09/blossman_pushes_boundaries_wit.html "Blossman pushes boundaries with fund-raiser"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080923120431/http://blog.nola.com/stephaniegrace/2008/09/blossman_pushes_boundaries_wit.html |date=2008-09-23 }} in ''Times-Picayune'', 2008 September 19 (accessed 2009 June 17).</ref> Skrmetta assumed his commissionership office on January 1, 2009 for a term that ended on December 31, 2014.

==Public Service Commissioner== As Public Service Commissioner, Skrmetta has sought clarification of Louisiana’s ethics regulations, which have tightened since the state’s populistic past. In particular, he has sought to displace meal reimbursements to commissioners from regulated utility companies with reimbursements by the Public Service Commission itself.<ref>Greg LaRose, [http://www.neworleanscitybusiness.com/uptotheminute.cfm?recid=22794&userID=0&referer=dailyUpdate "Commentary: Skrmetta’s debut dubious"] in ''New Orleans CityBusiness'', 2009 January 28.</ref>

== 2026 US Senate campaign == In July 2025, Skrmetta announced he would challenge Bill Cassidy for his seat in the United States Senate. He withdrew his campaign in February 2026.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wgno.com/news/politics/louisiana-politics/louisiana-public-service-commissioner-eric-skrmetta-drops-us-senate-bid-backs-julia-letlow/|title=Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Eric Skrmetta drops US Senate bid, backs Julia Letlow|first=Allison|last=Bruhl|date=February 13, 2026}}</ref>

==Personal life== Eric Skrmetta has two children. Skrmetta is involved in various religious and community organizations. He lives in Metairie, Louisiana<ref>[http://blog.nola.com/news_impact/2008/09/0923PSC1st.pdf Skrmetta profile in the ''Times-Picayune''], {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303230525/http://blog.nola.com/news_impact/2008/09/0923PSC1st.pdf |date=2016-03-03 }} 2008 September 09 (accessed 2009 June 17).</ref>

==Notes== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Skrmetta, Eric}} Category:1958 births Category:2020 United States presidential electors Category:American Roman Catholics Category:Candidates in the 2026 United States Senate elections Category:Living people Category:Lawyers from New Orleans Category:Louisiana Republicans Category:Louisiana State University alumni Category:Members of the Louisiana Public Service Commission Category:People from Jefferson Parish, Louisiana Category:Southern University Law Center alumni Category:Tulane University Law School alumni