John Bel Edwards is the incumbent Governor of Louisiana who assumed the office on January 11, 2016 alongside his running mate Billy Nungesser. Previously, he was Minority Leader of the Louisiana House of Representatives (2012 – 2015) and a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives (2008 – 2015).
Early Life and Education
John Bel Edwards was born on September 16, 1966 to father Frank and mother Dora Jean. Raised in Amite, Louisiana, Edwards went to Amite High School and graduated as a valedictorian in 1984. Then, he entered the Unites States Military Academy for an undergraduate degree in engineering. While at the US Military service, John attended various courses at different schools and colleges. For instance, he did Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Course in 1988 and 1992 respectively.
Ending his military service, Edwards turned towards continuing his career as a lawyer, having acquired a degree in law from Louisiana State University.
Personal Life
John Edwards is married to Donna Edwards with three children – two daughters and a son.
Career
Graduating from the US Military Academy in 1988, John Bel Edwards joined the US Army and served in the 25th Infantry Division and the 82nd Airborne Division until 1996. Leaving the career as a military person, John entered the legal world as a lawyer at Paul M. Herbert Law Center. He also worked at the Edwards & Associates Law Firm. Edwards successfully handled numerous cases as a private attorney.
Politics
John Bel Edwards rose to fame as a lawyer based in Armite, Louisiana. Hence, he decided to enter the Louisiana politics by running for a seat at Louisiana House of Representatives in 2007. In blanket primaries, Edwards faced fellow Democrats George Tucker, Michael Jackson, Walter Daniels and Ivory Dyson. He won the elections by acquiring 44% votes i.e. 26% more votes than second man George Tucker. In the runoff election, Bel Edwards thrashed Tucker with 66% votes in favor. Edwards went for a second term in the office by defeating Johnny Duncan with 83% votes. While at Louisiana House of Representatives, John Bel served as its Minority Leader by succeeding Jane Smith on January 9, 2012.
John Bel Edwards announced his candidacy for 2015 gubernatorial election and started campaigning as a conservative democrat. In blanket primaries, Edwards stood first with 39.89% votes as opposed to Republican candidate David Vitter’s 23.0% votes. Likewise, Republican candidates Scott Angelie and Jay Dardenne held third and fourth places respectively. In the runoff election, Edwards had a striking victory with 56.1% votes i.e. 646,924 in numbers.
As the highest-ranking officer in Louisiana, Governor Edwards has worked hard to address his campaign promises. He supports LGBT communities and has passed executive orders to protect them from social violence. Besides, he repealed some of his predecessor’s orders and replaced them with newer reforms. Edwards also had a state visit to Italy and had a chance to meet Pope Francis as well.
Donald Trump and John Edwards
As opposed to many other Democrat leaders, John Edwards isn’t so hostile towards President Donald Trump. First thing: they share a few common views such as they are both pro-life and pro-gun rights. In addition, although Edwards was a Clinton supporter, he is looking forward to working with Trump administration.
