John Bel Edwards

Edwards served in the United States Army for eight years, mostly in the 25th Infantry Division and 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.

John Bel Edwards was born in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana on September 16, 1966.

He is a United States Army veteran, having served with the 82nd Airborne Division, reaching the rank of captain.

He is the most recent Democrat elected to a statewide office in Louisiana.

Some political observers consider Edwards a conservative Democrat.

He commanded a company in the 82nd's 3rd Brigade, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment.

Edwards ultimately ended his military career to return to Louisiana because of family considerations.

After leaving the Army, Edwards pursued a legal education at Louisiana State University's Paul M. Hebert Law Center (LSU Law).

He was raised in Amite, Louisiana, the son of Dora Jean (née Miller) and Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Frank M. Edwards, Jr. Born into an economically and politically well-established family in the parish, he graduated from Amite High School in 1984 as valedictorian.

Edwards completed Airborne School in 1986, while a student at West Point.

In 1988, Edwards received a bachelor's degree in engineering from the United States Military Academy, where he was on the Dean's List and served as vice chairman of the panel that enforced the West Point honor code.

After receiving his commission, he completed the Infantry Officer Basic Course at Fort Benning in 1988, Ranger School in 1989, and the Infantry Officer Advanced Course in 1992.

He received his J.D. degree in 1999, and after graduation clerked for Judge James L. Dennis of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Edwards went on to become a practicing attorney with the Edwards & Associates law firm in Amite.

He handled a variety of cases, but did not practice criminal law because his brother was the local sheriff.

His nephew, Bradley Stevens, worked at the firm as a law partner.

First elected to the Louisiana House in 2007, Edwards became Democratic minority leader in 2012.

In 2007, Edwards ran for a seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives and was forced into a general election runoff with fellow attorney George Tucker.

Edwards won every parish in the district.

He was the only freshman lawmaker to chair a committee, the Veterans Affairs Committee, in the legislature.

Edwards was also selected as chair of the Democratic House caucus, a rarity for a freshman legislator.

Edwards criticized Governor Bobby Jindal for Jindal's frequent trips away from Louisiana to raise funds for Republicans elsewhere while Louisiana had been reducing its funding for higher education.

In 2011, Edwards was reelected to the Louisiana House of Representatives, defeating Johnny Duncan, 83% to 17%.

He chaired the Louisiana House Democratic Caucus, making him the House Minority Leader.

Cities and towns that Edwards represented included Amite, Greensburg, and Kentwood as well as part of Hammond.

A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the Democratic leader of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 2012 to 2015.

On February 21, 2013, Edwards announced his candidacy for governor in 2015.

He said that Louisiana needed "a healthy dose of common sense and compassion for ordinary people".

The only major Democrat in the race, Edwards polled first in the nonpartisan blanket primary with 444,517 votes (39.9%), followed by Vitter, who finished second with 256,300 votes (23%).

In third place was Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle of Breaux Bridge, who received 214,982 votes (19.3%).

A JMC Analytics poll before the primary showed Edwards with a nine-point lead over Vitter, 28% to 19%.

After the primary polls showed Edwards with a commanding lead.

Market Research Insight pollster Verne Kennedy placed Edwards ahead, 54% to 38% or 51% to 40%, depending on the level of turnout among African-American voters, 25% or 20%.

Edwards won the November 21 runoff with 56.1% of the vote.

The New York Times noted that the gubernatorial race was one "that many other Democrats once considered hopeless" early in the cycle.

He defeated Republican U.S. Senator David Vitter in the second round of the 2015 election for governor, 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.

In 2019, Edwards ran for reelection to a second term as governor.

In the runoff election, he faced Republican businessman Eddie Rispone.