John Bel Edwards facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Bel Edwards
Edwards in 2021
56th Governor of Louisiana
In office January 11, 2016 – January 8, 2024
Lieutenant	Billy Nungesser
Preceded by	Bobby Jindal
Succeeded by	Jeff Landry
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 58) East Baton Rouge Parish, 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 lawyer. He served as the 56th governor of Louisiana from 2016 to 2024. Before becoming governor, he was a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 2008 to 2015. He also served as a leader for the Democratic party in the House from 2012 to 2015. Edwards is a U.S. Army veteran.

Edwards earned a degree in engineering from the United States Military Academy in 1988. He then served in the United States Army as an infantry officer for eight years. He left the Army in 1996 as a Captain. After his military service, Edwards studied law at LSU Law. He then worked as a lawyer in his hometown of Amite.

He was first elected to the Louisiana House in 2007. In 2015, he won the election for governor, beating David Vitter. He became governor in January 2016. Edwards won a second term in 2019. He was the first Democrat to be re-elected as governor of Louisiana since 1975. During his time as governor, he led the state through the COVID-19 pandemic and major storms like Hurricane Ida. He also signed a law requiring public schools to display "In God We Trust" in classrooms. After leaving office in 2024, Edwards joined a law firm.

Early Life and School

John Bel Edwards was born in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, on September 16, 1966. He grew up in Amite. His father, Frank M. Edwards, Jr., was the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff. John Bel Edwards came from a family that was well-known in the area. He graduated from Amite High School in 1984 as the top student.

Edwards as a West Point cadet

In 1988, Edwards earned an engineering degree from the United States Military Academy. This school is also known as West Point. While there, he was on the Dean's List. He also helped make sure students followed the honor code.

Edwards completed Airborne School in 1986. After graduating from West Point, he finished more military training. This included the Infantry Officer Basic Course in 1988 and Ranger School in 1989.

Edwards served in the United States Army for eight years. He was mainly in the 25th Infantry Division and 82nd Airborne Division. He was a company commander in the 82nd Airborne Division. He decided to leave the military to be closer to his family in Louisiana.

Becoming a Lawyer

After his time in the Army, Edwards decided to study law. He went to Louisiana State University's Paul M. Hebert Law Center. He earned his law degree in 1999. After law school, he worked for Judge James L. Dennis.

Later, Edwards became a lawyer at the Edwards & Associates law firm in Amite. He worked on many different types of cases. He did not practice criminal law because his brother was the local sheriff.

Serving in the Louisiana House

In 2007, Edwards ran for a seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives. He won the election after a second round of voting. He was the only new lawmaker to lead a committee, the Veterans Affairs Committee. He was also chosen to lead the Democratic group in the House. This was unusual for a new lawmaker. Edwards spoke out against Governor Bobby Jindal for traveling often. He felt the governor should focus more on Louisiana's education funding.

In 2011, Edwards was re-elected to the Louisiana House. He won with 83% of the votes. He became the leader of the Democratic group in the House. This made him the House Minority Leader. He represented cities like Amite, Greensburg, and Kentwood. He also represented part of Hammond.

Governor of Louisiana

Winning Elections

2015 Election

In 2013, John Bel Edwards announced he would run for governor in 2015. He said Louisiana needed "common sense and compassion for ordinary people." He was the only major Democrat in the race. In the first round of voting, he received the most votes. He then faced David Vitter, a Republican U.S. Senator, in a second round of voting.

Many people thought it would be a tough election for a Democrat. However, Edwards won the election on November 21 with 56.1% of the votes. This was a big win for him and his party.

2019 Election

In 2019, Edwards ran for re-election for his second term as governor. He ran against Republican businessman Eddie Rispone. The election got a lot of national attention. This was because then-President Donald Trump visited Louisiana many times to support Rispone.

Portrait of Edwards in 2013

Edwards won the election, getting 51.33% of the votes. His victory was important. He became the first Democratic governor of Louisiana to win a second term in over 40 years. The last one was Edwin Edwards (no relation) in 1975.

Time as Governor

Edwards meeting with Louisiana National Guardsmen in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, March 2016

Edwards speaking at a press conference in Lafayette, Louisiana, August 2016

Edwards meeting with President Donald Trump in April 2020

Edwards meeting with President Joe Biden in September 2021

Edwards is sometimes described as a moderate or populist Democrat. This means his political views are often in the middle.

In April 2016, Edwards signed an executive order. This order aimed to protect people from unfair treatment in jobs. It stopped state agencies from treating people differently based on their gender identity or who they love. He said, "We respect our fellow citizens for their beliefs... but we do not discriminate." He also removed an order from the previous governor. That order had protected businesses that opposed same-sex marriage.

In 2016, Edwards expanded Medicaid. This program helps people get health insurance. By the next year, the number of people in Louisiana without health insurance was cut in half. This meant over 500,000 more adults could get health care.

Edwards said he wanted to work with the new Donald Trump administration in 2017. He was eager to work with Trump's team. They planned to work on health care and building projects.

Edwards also worked to reduce the number of people in Louisiana's prisons. He signed laws that shortened sentences for some nonviolent offenders. This was for people who showed good behavior in prison.

At the end of 2018, Edwards said his main goal for 2019 was to raise pay for teachers. He wanted to give teachers a $1,000 raise and school support workers a $500 raise. The House of Representatives passed a budget that included these pay raises. This was the first time in 10 years.

In September 2021, Edwards delayed upcoming elections. This was because Hurricane Ida caused a lot of damage across the state. Soon after, he declared another state of emergency for Hurricane Nicholas. In January 2022, Edwards pardoned Homer Plessy. Plessy was a key figure in a famous 1896 Supreme Court case that supported segregation.

In 2023, Edwards signed a law. It requires public schools to display the national motto "In God We Trust" in classrooms.

His Team in Government

Edwards had a team of people working with him in his government. These people helped him lead the state. They were in charge of different departments. For example, there were secretaries for economic development, health, and transportation.

Personal Life

Edwards and his wife, Donna Hutto Edwards, at a fundraising event in 2015

John Bel Edwards is married to Donna Hutto. She studied business and also trained as a teacher. They have three children: two daughters, Sarah and Samantha, and a son, John Miller.

Edwards is a Catholic. He attends St. Helena Roman Catholic Church in Amite.

His brother, Daniel H. Edwards, is the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff. Another brother, Christopher Edwards, passed away in a car accident in 2011.

Electoral History

Louisiana House of Representatives

2007

2011

Governor of Louisiana

2015

2019

See also

In Spanish: John B. Edwards para niños