Minority Leader of the Louisiana House of Representatives
In office January 10, 2012 – December 10, 2015
Preceded by
Jane Smith
Succeeded by
Gene Reynolds
Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from the 72nd district
In office January 14, 2008 – December 10, 2015
Preceded by
Robby Carter
Succeeded by
Robby Carter
Personal details
Born
(1966-09-16) September 16, 1966 (age 57) Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S.
Political party
Democratic
Spouse
Donna Hutto
(m. 1989)
Children
3
Education
United States Military Academy (BS) Louisiana State University (JD)
Signature
Military service
Allegiance
United States
Branch/service
United States Army
Years of service
1988–1996
Rank
Captain
Unit
25th Infantry Division 82nd Airborne Division
John Bel Edwards (born September 16, 1966) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 56th governor of Louisiana from 2016 to 2024. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the Democratic leader of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 2012 to 2015.
First elected to the Louisiana House in 2007, Edwards became Democratic minority leader in 2012. He defeated Republican U.S. Senator David Vitter in the second round of the 2015 gubernatorial election, and became Louisiana governor in January 2016. He won a second term in 2019, becoming the first Democrat to win reelection as governor of Louisiana since Edwin Edwards (no relation) in 1975.[1] He is a United States Army veteran, having served with the 82nd Airborne Division, reaching the rank of captain. He is the last Democrat to win and/or hold statewide office in Louisiana.[2] Some political observers consider Edwards a conservative Democrat.[3][4]
After leaving office, Edwards joined the New Orleans-based law firm Fishman Haygood LLP, where his practice focuses primarily on renewable energy litigation.[5]
^"John Bel Edwards earned a remarkable win for reelection; here's how he did it". November 17, 2019.
^Ryan, Molly (December 22, 2023). "Louisiana Democrats ruled the state 3 decades ago. What caused the political shift?". WWNO. 89.3 WRKF Baton Rouge. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
^Tenbarge, Ken (November 17, 2019). "John Bel Edwards was narrowly re-elected as governor of Louisiana. He's not a typical Democrat". Business Insider. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
^O'Donoghue, Julie (December 14, 2023). "Gov. John Bel Edwards: 'I have never been less inclined to be a Republican than today'". States Newsroom. Louisiana Illuminator. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
^Cline, Sara (January 14, 2024). "Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards will join law firm after leaving office". Associated Press. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
JohnBelEdwards (born September 16, 1966) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 56th governor of Louisiana from 2016 to 2024. A member...
Incumbent Democratic Governor JohnBelEdwards won re-election to a second term, defeating Republican businessman Eddie Rispone. Edwards became the first Democratic...
similar "top two primary" system). The runoff election featured Democrat JohnBelEdwards, Minority Leader of the Louisiana House of Representatives, and Republican...
incumbent JohnBelEdwards was popular in the deep red state, as he had worked across the aisle with a number of issues such as abortion. Edwards also brought...
Anker and Sherri LeBas. Wilson was appointed secretary by Governor JohnBelEdwards, beginning his term on January 11, 2016. In 2021, Wilson was elected...
ban, advocated for prayer in public schools, and challenged Governor JohnBelEdwards on LGBT issues. Landry won the 2023 Louisiana gubernatorial election...
all three states were in 2019. In Louisiana, term-limited incumbent JohnBelEdwards was succeeded by Jeff Landry, flipping the seat from Democratic to...
October 14, 2023 to elect the governor of Louisiana. Incumbent Governor JohnBelEdwards was term-limited and could not seek re-election to a third consecutive...
against Democrat JohnBelEdwards". U.S. News & World Report. AP. Retrieved 26 October 2015. Alford, Jeremy (May 6, 2013). "Saved by the Bel?". Gambit. Retrieved...
Governor of Louisiana in the 2019 election, losing to incumbent Democrat JohnBelEdwards. Rispone was raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. His father worked as...
$5,000 fine and eight years in prison. On June 15, 2021, Governor JohnBelEdwards signed HB 652 which decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana...
Louisiana Gov. JohnBelEdwards won't rule out another run for office". Louisiana Illuminator. Grace, Stephanie (September 16, 2021). "JohnBelEdwards won twice...
election. He lost the general election to Democrat JohnBelEdwards. While conceding defeat to Edwards, Vitter announced that he would not seek reelection...
thousands of houses and businesses were submerged. Louisiana's governor, JohnBelEdwards, called the disaster a "historic, unprecedented flooding event" and...
Graves became engaged in a public dispute with Louisiana Governor JohnBelEdwards about the disbursement of federal assistance for Louisiana's 2016 flooding...
that month in a 36–1 vote, and it was signed into law by Governor JohnBelEdwards on May 25. Initially, ten Republican lawmakers stated their opposition...
"Louisiana primary" and is running for re-election to a third full term. JohnBelEdwards, the former Governor of Louisiana, is a potential Democratic candidate...
sentenced to life without parole. In January 2023, Louisiana Governor JohnBelEdwards denied Vásquez's request for clemency. Seal was married three times...
Blanco dies at 76". The News-Star. Retrieved August 18, 2019. JohnBelEdwards. "JohnBelEdwards on Twitter". Twitter. Final State of the State Address from...
Edwin Washington Edwards (August 7, 1927 – July 12, 2021) was an American politician and member of the Democratic Party who served as the U.S. representative...
chair of the 1984 Democratic National Convention JohnBelEdwards, Governor of Louisiana John R. Edwards, U.S. Senator from North Carolina, 2004 Democratic...
Louisiana is mostly illegal as of August 1, 2022. In 2022, Governor JohnBelEdwards (D) signed a law criminalizing abortion providers. An earlier version...
116) of the 2022 Regular Legislative Session, and signed by Governor JohnBelEdwards on June 18, 2022 Focuses on health needs throughout a woman’s life...
Syrita Steib, nonprofit executive and criminal justice reform advocate JohnBelEdwards, Governor of Louisiana (endorsed Mixon) Helena Moreno, President of...
moved to noon CDT from the originally scheduled 7 PM CDT. Governor JohnBelEdwards declared a state of emergency in response to the storm. On August 28...
Global Information
United States
United States Army